Part of a community wellbeing hub in Swanage, Dorset, has been dedicated to the memory of former local councillor Bill Trite, with the event providing the first opportunity to visit the centre’s new café, which was completed just hours before the ceremony.
The unveiling of the new sign for the Bill Trite Wing at The Focus Centre on the corner of Chapel Lane and the High Street, took place on Friday 29th May 2026.
The sign was unveiled by (left to right) Bob Foster, along with Bill’s partner Cheryl Hobbs, Swanage town mayor Chris Tomes, deputy mayor Sarah Vile, and former Swanage town mayor Mike Bonfield
Help people access support
The Focus Centre was formerly the youth centre, Sure Start centre, and adult day centre buildings, but when Dorset Council looked to close the services down, the Swanage and Purbeck Development Trust stepped in to save the facilities for the community.
The centre now provides a Welcome Lounge, where trained staff and volunteers help people access support for issues including loneliness, housing, family needs, employment and mental health.
It also offers health visitor appointments and speech and language support for young children and new parents, as well as nursery provision and wraparound childcare.
Bill Trite helped save the youth centre building for the community
Safeguarded for Swanage
When the youth centre was closed in 2016, it was Bill Trite who was one of the most determined to transfer the building to the trust to ensure it could be redeployed for community use.
Sadly, Bill Trite, who was a Swanage town councillor and a Swanage ward member on Dorset Council, died unexpectedly in 2025, however he did live to see the whole site safeguarded for Swanage.
The Swanage Youth Club is now based at Herston village hall, closer to the area where the majority of teenagers live, but there are plans for the oversubscribed club to utilise some of the Focus Centre facilities in the future.
Serving up the goods – the Allsort’d team have a successful trial run in the cafe
The newly refurbished seating area is a cheerful space to enjoy drinks, snacks and cakes
Work experience, training and employment
One of the facilities is the new Focus cafe, which was only just ready in time for the event. It is going to be run by Allsort’d, a Swanage-based community interest company that supports young adults with learning disabilities and autism.
The cafe will provide work experience, training and employment opportunities for the group’s members as well as other young people.
Opening for the event was a trial run for the new team, with the official opening of the cafe expected towards the end of June 2026.
Lots of people turned out for the special event
Allsort’d were also able to offer entertainment on the menu
“Swanage is so amazing!”
Paula Kirk from Allsort’d said:
“We hit the ground running today – we thought it might not be too busy but we’ve had overwhelming support from the community – Swanage is so amazing!
“However we can’t fully open yet as we need to get everyone trained up to use all the kitchen equipment from the dishwasher to the till.
“We also still need some more kitchen equipment, so if anyone is in a position to contribute to our crowdfunder, we’d be really grateful. Fortunately we were able to borrow some kitchen utensils from the URC round the corner for today, but we will have to give them back!”
The new outdoor tables are specially adapted to allow space for those with wheelchairs
Homemade cakes and scones at affordable prices
“Very relaxed and informal”
Managing much of the building work at the Focus Centre is the Swanage and Purbeck Development Trust’s chief executive Ali Tuckey.
Speaking after the event, he said:
“It’s been a good trial run for the cafe – I’m really chuffed with how well the day has gone, it’s been very relaxed and informal.
“Allsort’d are so good at being friendly and making everyone feel so welcome. The cafe will be another front door to all the services we offer.”
The next area to tackle is the outside space
There are plans to replace the rotten fence with a stone wall at a lower level to make the garden accessible for all
“This was part of Bill’s vision”
The next job on the list is to restore the grounds surrounding the Focus Centre buildings.
Fortunately the Dorset based charity the Talbot Village Trust has given a grant towards the cost of some of the plans for the garden.
Chair of the Swanage and Purbeck Development Trust Bob Foster added:
“We are going to continue to deliver the vision to return all the buildings to community use and make them more usable for local people.
“We’ve completed the building work but still need to link all the areas together by improving the garden. There’s plenty of outside space and we want to open it all up so it can be enjoyed by the whole community.
“This was part of Bill’s vision when he first became involved in ensuring the transfer of the youth centre to the trust. It was his determination which helped make it happen.
“That’s why 10 years later we thought it was only appropriate to rename the former youth club building as the Bill Trite Wing in his memory.”
Bob Foster in the cafe’s new outdoor seating area
Further information
- Donate to the kitchen and garden crowdfunder
- More about The Focus Centre and Allsort’d
