Stanwell Events: The Acorn Project — case study summary
The Acorn Project was a major redevelopment of the Long Lane Pavilion in Stanwell, led by the charity Stanwell Events. The organisation has operated from the pavilion for eight years, running core services including the Stanwell Food Bank and a range of wellbeing, family, and community activities. The funding was aimed at transforming the outdated 1960s building into a modern, accessible, multi‑use community hub that will serve residents across Stanwell.
Your Fund Surrey (YFS) contributed £1,105,834 (79% of total costs) towards the redevelopment works which included a ground‑floor extension, conversion of existing spaces, and the addition of community facilities such as a café, meeting rooms, support spaces and improved accessibility features.
Community focus
The project was developed in direct response to the significant deprivation affecting the local area, where existing facilities no longer met the community’s needs. It aimed to tackle rising demand for essential services, including the food bank, holiday clubs, youth activities, cooking classes and wider social support.
The focus of the new development was to create a safe, flexible and accessible space for residents, local organisations and partner services. The redevelopment also sought to strengthen support for vulnerable and isolated individuals by providing welcoming, practical spaces tailored to their needs. Importantly, the project was shaped through extensive engagement with the community, with residents influencing the design and multiple organisations offering letters of support.
Impact since the funding
In the past year, Stanwell Events has continued to grow and now offers many additional services. With recent support from The National Lottery, they have been able recruit additional staff to meet increasing demand. With this growth, they have been able to develop their pantry model further and offer more food‑education sessions for both adults and young people.
They are now running free youth projects each week, including football, dance and cooking sessions. Their multicultural day is set to expand into a programme of weekend activities, and they are providing space for other organisations to deliver mental‑health support projects — including hosting the Andy’s Man Club on Monday evenings. The Men’s Pitstop has also continued to grow on Thursdays.
In addition, they now open on Sundays, offering craft activities for families and providing a welcoming space with low‑cost or free food options. They are also preparing to launch Junior Parkrun events, which will take place on Sunday mornings.
