Landport Community Centre was opened in October 2008 by the Landport Community Centre Association and instituted with the objectives of “promoting the benefit of those who live, learn or work in Portsmouth and in particular the neighbourhood of Landport in the Charles Dickens Ward of the city”. The centre was formally opened on 22nd November 2008 by the football legend Ray Crawford, who himself hailed from Landport.
In July 2019 Landport Community Centre Association (LCCA) signed an agreement with Enable Ability to manage Landport Community Centre on its behalf. Enable Ability is committed to delivering local services in line with the mission of LCCA for the people of Portsmouth, and to provide solutions to help address social isolation in the area. The centre was given a fresh look and the new partnership was launched formally by the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, David Fuller on Sunday 24th November In October 2022 Enable Ability took over sole ownership of the Centre from LCCA and renovations and improvements to the building have taken place with the aid of funding from Portsmouth City Council, ABRI and VIVID housing associations and Southern Co Op. The Centre now has a fresh, vibrant and modern feel and has established itself as a hub for Charles Dickens residents and beyond.
PLEASE NOTE: Although LCC is a modern, welcoming and safe space for visitors, hirers and staff, in line with other Community Centres and public buildings we do have some rules: No Under 16s unless accompanied by an adult, no bad language or anti social behaviour, verbal or physical abuse will not be tolerated and will be reported to authorities, a zero tolerance policy on drink and drug abuse, and a reminder the Centre is monitored 24/7 by CCTV.
Meet the Landport team:
Alan Jenkins
Centre Manager
Alan has a wealth of experience in venue and event management locally, as well as marketing, sales, media and PR.
Paula Sambell
Café Manager
Sharon Frostick
Hygiene Officer
Karen Bristow
Inter Activ Skills Lead
Adrian Dunstan
Repair Shop Skills Coach
Miles Fletcher
Repair Shop Skills Coach
Maria Jerrard
Café Skills Coach
Peter Hooker
Into Work Skills Coach
Kim Rosic
Crafts & Horticulture Skills Coach
Jon Dyke
What's It Like? Skills Coach
Enable Ability is established as an independent charity for care, welfare and advancement of disabled people in Portsmouth and the surrounding area. We work in partnership with disabled children and adults, their families and carers, to provide a range of inclusive, high quality, professional and confidential services.
Enable Ability supports people with severe disabilities as well as those whose needs are at a more ‘mild to moderate’ level. Altogether we provide for approximately 500 children and adults via a growing number of different services.
The charity is funded through Local Authority contracts, grant awarding bodies (e.g. Children in Need and The National Lottery), fees, donations, fund raising events, investments and rental income.
We run a number of our service projects from the centre including our Inter Activ service designed to help young people with learning difficulties gain work experiences in order to find meaningful employment.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF LANDPORT
LANDPORT centres around Commercial Road and encompasses the Guildhall, Civic Centre, Portsmouth and Southsea Station and Commercial Road central shopping area. The district of Portsea lies to the West; Old Portsmouth, Somers Town and Southsea are to the south; Fratton lies to the East and the Kingston Crescent area to the north.
The area and its name derive from both Landport Gate and the fact that that the area was a settlement of Halfway Houses.
Landport Gate was built in 1760 as a new main entry point to Portsmouth from the Dockyard and growing community on the Common. It was most probably designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor, though it was not built until after his death. It replaced the original main point of access at the end of the High Street and is still in its original position on St Georges Road.
The ‘Halfway Houses’ were built as overspills from the confines of the Old Portsmouth defensive fortifications and commenced with a series of homes on the road from Landport Gate to the village of Kingston. Residents officially adopted the name Land Port around 1831 to define where they lived (on land next to the port).
Landport was also integral in Portsmouth becoming a city. By 1890 Landport had replaced the old town as the centre of the Borough. The building of the spectacular new Guildhall which opened in that year, marked the transition to city status, formally acknowledged in 1926.
Of course, most famously the English novelist Charles Dickens was born in Landport. Dickens was born on 7 February 1812 at 1 Mile End Terrace where his parents had lived since moving to Portsmouth in 1809. His former home has since been renamed 393 Old Commercial Road and is now the Charles Dickens’ Birthplace Museum. Landport now sits in the centre of what is known as the Charles Dickens Ward of the city.
Further reading:
https://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/lib-portsmouth-encyclopaedia-2011.pdf
Landport Gate
