Barnsley’s voluntary sector boosted by The Core

A £5.4m building, designed by Sheffield-based Bond Bryan Architects, has opened in Barnsley.

The Core is the new headquarters of Voluntary Action Barnsley (VAB) and will provide the organisation with a central facility from which to offer advice, training and support to the voluntary sector.

The building, which is part-funded by Yorkshire Forward, is built on a 0.125 hectare site within the Courthouse Campus area of central Barnsley. 

The building can accommodate up to 200 people and comprises working areas over four-storeys, linked by a semi-atrium to a three storey area which is the principle public-facing part of the building.

Sustainable features include glazing with high thermal insulation and solar control to reduce energy usage, a biomass boiler and a roof garden which provides both insulation and a leisure space.

Chi Tso, an architect at Bond Bryan, said: “The Core sets out to express VAB’s increasingly confident identity. Its curved timber wall makes a sweeping statement and the building as a whole reaches out to the local community via its full-height glazed atrium. The many sustainable elements reflect VAB’s commitment to social responsibility”.

VAB’s chief executive, Dr Penny Stanley, added: “VAB is thrilled to have the opportunity to manage this new, cutting-edge building. The Core will provide expanded facilities and services for the ‘third sector’ and will raise its profile and enhance its position within the wider One Barnsley partnership.”

Helen Thomson, assistant director of economic inclusion at Yorkshire Forward, said: “The Core hosts many small organisations and provides meeting spaces and local services, and is run by the local voluntary organisation.

“Having their own building helps organisations to manage their future finances and deliver needed services, working alongside Barnsley Council. A strong Voluntary Action Barnsley is a sign of a society that believes in the well being of residents and the whole community.”