Ellesmere Port theatre’s unloved loft renovated to support local charity

A theatre in Ellesmere Port can now play host to community groups thanks to a partnership between local firms Liberty and ForHousing, and Cheshire West and Chester Council. 

The Theatre Porto in Whitby Park, Ellesmere Port, recently underwent a major renovation – but their loft space was left untouched.

Liberty, the Merseyside-based maintenance firm, and their long-term partner ForHousing, a social landlord who manages homes in Ellesmere Port on behalf of Cheshire West and Chester Council, reached out to see if together they could transform the loft into another useable multi-functional space.

Volunteering their time to make a difference in the lives of people in Ellesmere Port, Liberty’s local repairs and maintenance team re-plastered the walls, levelled the floor and laid vinyl flooring.

To complete the final touch-ups, ForHousing staff volunteered a further 40 hours to paint the room.

The new facility means the local charity and community group Ellesmere Port Collective can support even more young people and adults to harness their creativity and inner musical talent through workshops and access to studio equipment.

Ellesmere Port Collective are a local community group, volunteering their time to make a difference to the lives of people in Ellesmere Port. In recent years, they have brought together communities by organising social and cultural events in Ellesmere Port Market, which have been enjoyed by all.

Sam Hutchinson, Communications Manager at Theatre Porto, said: “Through collaboration and community spirit, the new space created at Theatre Porto will serve as a hub for creativity and positive impact.

“Thanks to the partnership between Liberty, ForHousing and Cheshire West and Chester Council, the Ellesmere Port Collective now has a multi-functional room where they can support young people and adults to unlock their musical talents. This is a testament to the power of working together to make a difference in our local communities. We can’t wait to hear what they create.”

Ross Couper, a member of Ellesmere Port Collective, said: “The work completed by Liberty has enabled us to create a home at Theatre Porto which will enable us to develop our community activities and create new outreach programs for the future. We are forever grateful to the team and look forward to welcoming you back to see the positive impact you have made for Ellesmere Port.”

Dan Carey, Site Manager at Liberty, said: “Working with Theatre Porto was an enjoyable and interesting project as the local community can really benefit from a space like this. The charity and the theatre were very happy with our work and have asked us to work within the grounds of the theatre going forward.”

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