Five London IKEA stores have funded and completed a makeover project in Hackney, East London, which has upgraded a community centre run by Hackney Quest – a local non-profit working with housing and homelessness organisation, Shelter, IKEA’s national charity partner.
The major refurbishment has involved redesigning and upgrading the entire first floor of the centre, through the installation of a new kitchen, as well as redecorating throughout and replacing all existing furniture with brand new IKEA products and storage solutions to make the best use of the space.
The project has transformed the centre’s kitchen, reception, office and lounge areas. IKEA has provided all materials, labour, furniture and accessories to complete the makeover, with the support of over 30 co-workers from London IKEA stores in Croydon, Greenwich, Hammersmith, Wembley and Lakeside, as well as the IKEA Service Office.
At the community centre, Hackney Quest supports young people, families, and the wider community with practical and emotional support to develop and pursue their aspirations. The charity offers a wide range of programmes that aim to build confidence, develop new skills, widen perspectives and opportunities, as well as uncover existing strengths and capacities. The centre also provides a safe space for children and young people away from poor housing conditions and temporary accommodation in Hackney, which remains in the 10% most deprived areas of the UK.
Through the refurbishment project, IKEA is helping Hackney Quest and Shelter to support local people that already use the community centre with improved facilities and spaces. Shelter also hopes to increase local engagement and reach in the local area – to support people impacted by the housing emergency.
Michael Hawkins, London Area Manager, IKEA UK, said: “Creating better everyday lives for people across London communities is at the heart of IKEA London, so it’s been a pleasure to be involved in this project. We’re extremely proud of all the IKEA co-workers who have dedicated their time to making such a transformation possible in just five days, and hope that the refurbishment will give even more young people and families a warm and inviting space to connect and learn from each other. Hackney Quest and Shelter are doing incredible work to support those impacted by issues including the housing emergency, and this community centre is a lifeline to many people in the area.”
Colette Allen, CEO of Hackney Quest, added: “I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone from IKEA and Shelter, and all of our amazing volunteers, young people and staff, who have helped to make this happen. We have been in our building for over 18 years and almost all of the furniture we had was donated to us, so we could spend our charity funds on the programmes we run for young people, families and the community. We made do and although our space is so loved by everyone, it was in much need of an update. The turnaround was incredibly quick and the IKEA and Shelter teams have been absolutely delightful to work with. We cannot wait for our young people and families to see the finished building and make use of the great new facilities.”
IKEA established a long-term partnership with Shelter in 2022, to help those affected by the housing emergency in the retailer’s local communities and beyond. Over the course of the partnership, the two organisations hope to create systemic change to address the housing emergency in the UK, calling on the Government to build 90,000 social homes a year by 2030.
Earlier this year, IKEA and Shelter launched a campaign to highlight the real living conditions of those forced into temporary accommodation – through ‘Real Life Roomset’ installations, based on the stories of people local to the IKEA stores involved. According to research conducted by IKEA as part of the campaign, one in every 208 people in England is currently experiencing homelessness, with over 11 million adults in the UK worried about losing their current home.
