Poplar Boys and Girls Club is back in action

22/12/2022

After every storm, comes sunshine, and so it did on 7 December at the Poplar Boys and Girls Club grand reopening!

The club opened its doors once again to the local community at the newly refurbished Trussler Hall on Grundy Street. It faced temporary closure at its former Chrisp Street site in 2021, due to a storm causing the roof to collapse.

The local community joined original club member Dudley Willoughby in a ribbon cutting ceremony. Having Dudley at the ceremony was an iconic moment for the club, paying homage to its history, as he joined the club in 1966 as an 11-year-old. The event celebrated both the remarkable history of the club and its future.

Lenny Emms, Trustee of Poplar Boys and Girls Club, says: “Generations of families have walked through the club’s doors - it really has deep-rooted ties to the Chrisp Street community. The event has been a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the lasting impact that the club has had and will continue to have in playing a vital role in bringing the community together."

A time capsule was buried in the foundations of the building. It was preserved and moved just yards away from the former Chrisp Street club site to Trussler Hall.

Telford Homes, who’re delivering the regeneration at Chrisp Street with us, helped the club to preserve their time capsule, foundation stone and refit its commemorative plaques for the new site.

Simon Carroll, our Places & Services Coordinator, says: “We are delighted to see that the club has reopened after a tough year of being closed. The reopening of this beloved club is a symbol of the vital work that is taking place in Chrisp Street, and our commitment to developing an exciting and thriving town centre, whilst still retaining the character, heritage and soul of the area.”

The Chrisp Street regeneration will transform the existing Chrisp Street Market into a thriving new town centre, creating over 600 homes – 200 of which will be affordable – alongside a revitalised Chrisp Street Market.

Chrisp Street Market Works kick off at Chrisp Street