Last Saturday I was privileged to attend and formally open the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Belle Vue Centre.

It is difficult to imagine the area, indeed the town, without the Centre. When the notion of a centre was first put forward in the 1980s, the key principles of helping and supporting people into training and employment, was considered a bit innovative. The Belle Vue was always ahead of its time in many respects.

Over 100 people now work for the Centre, and the vast majority of them live locally, although I understand that one or two do live as far a field as Rossmere. The Centre has provided countless opportunities for people in the area, first by encouraging volunteering at the centre and then offering employment, often for the first time. The Centre gives these people a further help up the ladder by offering them support with training and offering them help with opportunities. Time and time again on Saturday people who had been members of the youth club came on stage to say how the Belle Vue Centre had helped and transformed their lives.

Alex Sedgwick, who is one of the nicest men on earth, summed it up Saturday in his usual quiet and efficient manner, when he said that the Belle Vue Centre was the best example of a community centre actually run by the community for the community.

Whether it is the North East as a region, Hartlepool as a town or Belle Vue as an area, they all often get a bad press. But you couldn’t wish to meet a nicer group of people who are passionate in what they believe in and determined to make a difference to their area, despite all the challenges that life throws at them.

Bob Farrow is a great example of this. Bob has lived in the same area all his life, having been born in Borrowdale Street, and his determination to see his area and the people who live there succeed shines through every time you meet him. He provided the energy and passion to ensure that the Centre raised enough money to be built in the first place. As the Centre’s first manager, he worked to determine that it became a huge success and despite the fact that he retired a couple of years ago, still is a regular at the Centre. Bob, quite rightly, was acknowledged for all his hard work by receiving the MBE, and I think he now sees the Queen more often than Prince Philip does! Bob and his wife Roni, together with other great people like Rose Simpson, Kevin Walsh, Sheila Simmons and Bull make Belle Vue the great place that it is.

I think a great night was had by all on Saturday. I was particularly pleased that Gordon Larkin, the Centre’s manager, got into the spirit of things by wearing a suit and a tie that were last fashionable in 1985, the year that the Centre first opened. At least, that’s what I think he was doing.

Happy birthday Belle Vue!