New community hub opens at Park Library, bringing local support under one roof

A community hub is a local drop-in space where different services work together under one roof. Residents accessing the hub can get advice and support in a single place rather than navigating lots of different services and organisations.

The first hub at Park Library has launched with an initial range of support, with more to follow. Any Swindon resident, not just those from the local area, can drop-in to speak to someone for advice and guidance on housing, employment, health and wellbeing, accessing youth services and financial advice through Citizens Advice Swindon.

Park is the first hub to open and will operate as a prototype. That means it will continue to change and grow based on what local people want and need. Residents are encouraged not just to use the space, but to help shape it.

The hub is open during normal Park Library opening hours:

• Monday - 10am to 5pm
• Tuesday - 9am to 2.30pm
• Wednesday - 10am to 5pm
• Thursday - 10am to 5pm
• Friday - 9am to 2.30pm
• Saturday - 10am to 1pm

Further hubs are due to open at The Meadows in Penhill, Central Library in the town centre and West Swindon Library at the Link Centre during 2026, creating a growing network of local spaces across the borough.

The community hub approach builds on Swindon’s existing library network. Libraries will continue to provide their core services as trusted community spaces, with the hub offer adding extra advice and support alongside them.

Rather than a one-size-fits-all model, each hub will be co-designed with local communities to reflect local needs, priorities and strengths. Each hub will start with an initial offer, but this will evolve over time through ongoing conversations with residents, community groups, colleagues and partners. Feedback and insight from each location will be used to refine how each hub works.

The hubs form part of the Council’s wider transformation programme to move towards a more preventative way of working, helping people earlier, reducing crisis situations and making support much easier to access.

Councillor Jim Grant, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Partnerships, said: “We’re really excited to see our first community hub open here in Park.

“This is about making it easier for people to get the help they need, in a place they already know and trust.

“But it’s also about listening. Park Library hosts our first hub and we want to use feedback from residents and partners to help us shape how it develops.

“If something works well, we’ll build on it. If something needs to change, we’ll change it. This must work for the community.”