Community hub helping post-pandemic struggles
BBCAn "invaluable" hub has opened to offer support services to anyone in the community still struggling with the impact of the pandemic.
Staff at King's Oak Academy in Kingswood, South Gloucestershire, converted the former caretaker's house into the hub after he retired.
The inclusive provision offers coffee mornings, parenting classes and mental health support among other services and activities to residents, whether they are connected to the school or not.
Katherine Ogden, senior principal at the school, said the hub helps to "create that feeling of belonging and community spirit together".
The school came up with the idea to open the hub in a bid to reduce the lasting impact of isolation from Covid-19 lockdowns five years ago.
The Cabot Learning Federation raised funds to redevelop the building, with additional support from South Gloucestershire Council and the town clerk.
Andy Marhsall-Aherne, the assistant principal, said the lack of interaction and normality has had a "massive" impact on students and their attendance levels.
"We saw a massive issue with the younger years because they haven't had that normal school provision before Covid hit," he said.
"For them to then start back into school was a really big struggle.
"Our older years have recovered a bit better to some extent because they knew what it was like before, but those that already had the struggles have just deteriorated with their attendance even more."
Tamasyn has a daughter at the school and a young son who was born during the pandemic.
She said the hub has been "invaluable" in helping her open up about her mental health and building relationships with other parents.
"There used to be a stigma around talking about mental health," she said.
"There's no judgement [at the hub] and it's just nice to be able to be open and honest about how you're feeling."
Kas said the hub is a "brilliant" place for adults to discuss how the pandemic affected them and their families.
"I didn't realise how much Covid impacted my children until we went to a big event... they were so anxious," she said.
"You might sit there and think 'this is just my child that's doing this' and it's nice to hear it's not just me.
George said being able to meet with other parents makes her feel "less alone".
"Things don't seem as bad as when you're stuck at home on your own," she said.
"Everything seems so stressful, but once you rant about it and someone else says 'I know how you feel', then you feel validated."
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