Work begins on the former AIB Bank building to create the new Lurgan Hub, a community space to bring people together
Work has started on The HUB, a new community space in Lurgan designed to bring people together and offering support to local residents.
Local couple Peter and Patricia McCann have worked for 40 years to help bring the communities in Lurgan and Craigavon together and, with their family, are creating this unique and special place for everyone in the town centre.
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Work is well under way at the former AIB Bank in Market Street and hopes are high the the new HUB will be hope early next year.
The couple’s family are also involved in developing the HUB via their charity the GiG Foundation (Grown in Grace Foundation).
It aims to bring people together, support local connections and create opportunities for the whole community, The HUB will be a place where individuals, families and groups can come together, gain support and thrive.
"We're so excited to see this vision becoming a reality and can't wait to welcome you through the doors in early 2027,” said Caitriona Kavanagh, the charity’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) and the couple’s daughter. She explained that Peter, a Catholic father of 8, ‘had an experience of God’ in the 1980s among the divisions of 1980s. Whilst whilst hitching a lift from Belfast he was picked up on the side of the road by a former UVF terrorist Protestant David Hamilton.
"After discussing Christ, as the journey ended, they joined in prayer together. That profound act of unity led to Peter’s immediate conversion and thanks to David’s prayer this has had a lifelong impact on Peter, Patricia and the whole McCann family. Peter and David became lifelong friends often conducting talks together,” said Caitriona.
From that initial day, Patricia focused on helping others as a counsellor while Peter dedicated his life to helping all the communities of Lurgan and Craigavon, working in Drumgor Youth Club, helping establish “The Well” YMCA in Lurgan, running football teams and leagues.
Together they established Alpha Courses always wanting to spread the message of love and how God can change people lives and focusing on the needs of the community.
Peter, now 81, and Patricia, now 79, show no signs of slowing down and have enlisted the help of their family to try and help communities where it’s needed most. They’re seeking to do this in two ways.
Firstly, by providing much needed funding and support to active local charities who would otherwise not have access to the money, advice and connections they need to continue and expand their fantastic work.
As a result of local knowledge and investigation, the foundation is working with Craigavon based charities Just a Chat, Craigavon and Banbridge Volunteer Bureau (CBVA), and Simpact, together with Guildford based charity Changing lives.
The second pillar comes in the form of Lurgan HUB, working on community outreach by providing a community space where people can access practical support, find hope, opportunities and meaningful connections.
Breaking the cycle of poverty through charitable funding and community presence in the form of skills training, mentoring, one-to-one support, social activities and more.
The purpose is to help people build resilience, break the cycle of poverty and unlock possibility and hope.
Peter McCann, CEO, said: “We’re on a mission to help break the cycle of poverty and the terrible outcomes resulting from that.”