Meet the Derbyshire woman who has transformed an abandoned garage into a thriving community hub

At its helm is Karen Tait.

Karen is the managing director of Positive 4 Young People, supporting children and their families with Early Help interventions and support.

While looking for new premises the directors found the empty Gladstone Buildings on Broadleys, Clay Cross. It provided a good space for offices and classrooms to provide an Alternative Provision Unit.

Karen said: "We didn’t take it over looking how it looks today. It was originally a mechanics workspace and offices, so it was very dark and dreary.”

The unit now supports young people in need of educational support in a safe environment.

As P4YP is a none-profit organisation, Karen quickly had to find a way to generate money to pay for the upkeep costs and rent of the building. Initially starting by renting out spare office spaces to local businesses, Karen and her team has transformed the Gladstone building into a self-sustaining community centre.

The Hub offers a play pod sensory room for children, rent-able meeting and training room facilities, a tea room and charity shop. All money made from these facilities, as well as the rent from the upstairs office space goes straight back into the centre.

Karen said: “A lot of our tearoom customers are older people. Alongside the children we help through P4YP we’re really helping our community, from cradle to grave.”

It has taken many years of graft to turn the once drab building into the bright, welcoming community space it is today.