Hopes for new community hub offering families help

Anita Gatt, the clinical services manager at Blue Smile, said the hub was a "lovely bright space"

Two charities said they hoped a new community hub would make it easier for families to access support.

The Core opened on Thursday in the grounds of Orchard Park Community School in Cambridge.

It has been designed as a space for education, including English courses for adults, health events and social occasions.

Maria David, from family support charity the Red Hen Project, said the space could "break that barrier" for people needing help.

"We often struggle to have venues to bring people together," she said.

"We need a space sometimes to meet [families] as it is not always ideal to go to houses, so it is nice to have a space."

Anita Gatt, clinical services manager for mental health charity Blue Smile, said it was "such a lovely bright space".

Maria David said the space could encourage more families to come forward for support

Vera Kladi, a local NHS education mental health practitioner, said she looked forward to being able to use the "lovely space" and improve access to services.

Orchard Park is a modern development in the north of the city, with most homes having been built over the last two decades.

The community hub opened in Orchard Park, a modern development in Cambridge

The new hub is run by the school and was funded by a grant from the county council's Cambridgeshire Priorities Capital Fund.

Janice Fuller, chair of governors at the primary school, said: "We are delighted to offer this bright airy room to the local community and hope that it will host many events to bring people together."