Work begins on charity’s new city centre base

Work has started on transforming a former Cathedral Quarter restaurant into new headquarters and a community hub for child exploitation charity Safe and Sound.

It has appointed Davlyn Construction to complete the refurbishment of the former Thai Dusit restaurant, in Bold Lane.

The project, which is due to be completed around Easter, will include a ground floor community hub where young people and families can engage with an expanded range of support services and activities to help them rebuild their lives.

The other two floors will include space for one-to-one and group support meetings and workshops, as well as office accommodation for Safe and Sound’s team and volunteers.

There will also be provision for other local charities to use space to deliver their services.

The project has been made possible thanks to £250,000 from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ Community Ownership Fund.

There have been further donations from businesses and organisations, as well as several services provided pro bono.

Tracy Harrison, chief executive of Safe and Sound, said: “The Bold Lane premises will be an amazing centrally located community asset and safe space for children and young people who are at risk of exploitation as well as their families.

“Since the confirmation of funding last year, we have been busy scoping out the work that needs to be done and choosing a contractor through a competitive tender process.

“Davlyn Construction really understand our vision for creating a flexible, safe and welcoming space for our young people and families, as well as staff and volunteers.

“There is a lot of work to be done but we are excited to see the refurbishment work develop and to start planning our official opening this spring.”

Safe and Sound works with children as young as seven, young people and their families across Derbyshire whose lives have been affected by child exploitation including online grooming, sexual exploitation, County Lines, trafficking, modern slavery and radicalisation.

The charity is currently based in rented offices in Darley Abbey, a community hub in Allenton and then rents further space for further activity and therapy work.

Safe and Sound chair Mark Richardson, who is a director of BBJ Commercial, said: “The start of work on the Bold Lane property is a significant milestone for the charity, the wider voluntary sector and for the vibrancy of the city centre.

“I am delighted that we have found the premises that will be the long-term home for everyone who works at and is supported by Safe and Sound, as well as providing much needed accessible space for other organisations supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our local communities.”