In the early hours of Saturday, 15th November, Monmouth awoke to devastating floodwaters that swept through parts of the town with alarming speed and force. Among the hardest hit was the Bridges Centre, where the entire ground floor was submerged beneath three feet of water. The flooding caused extensive damage throughout the building and has had a profound impact on the hundreds of people who rely on the centre every week.
Bridges Centre is more than a building. It is a vital community hub — home to 15 small businesses, over 70 regular groups and classes, and several wellbeing projects, including our much-loved Social Circles. The sudden loss of access to the ground floor has sent shockwaves through our organisation and the wider community that depends on us. Our Bridges Shop has also been forced to close temporarily, adding further disruption both for us and for the many who support it.
Once insurers gave the go-ahead, our staff joined forces with more than 40 volunteers who arrived without hesitation, ready to help. Together, over an intense two-day effort, they removed water-damaged furniture, salvaged equipment, cleared debris, and prepared the building for the specialist teams who soon followed with professional cleaning and industrial drying equipment.
However, the road to recovery is not straightforward. As a Grade II listed building, Bridges must be treated with exceptional care. Drying the timber too quickly risks cracking and further structural damage. For this reason, we cannot rush this process — and we cannot yet predict exactly when we will be able to reopen our doors. We expect to understand more clearly what lies ahead in January, and we will continue to keep our community informed.
Despite the heartbreak of seeing our ground floor submerged and so many of our activities disrupted, we have worked tirelessly to relocate as many groups, classes, and services as possible. We have been deeply moved by the generosity of local businesses who stepped forward with offers of space, equipment, and practical help at short notice. We are also grateful for the swift response from Monmouthshire County Council, who immediately offered use of the old Post Office building to help us keep some services running until Christmas. The determination of our partners, practitioners, and service users during this challenging time has been nothing short of extraordinary.
What has carried us through the past weeks, however, is the overwhelming kindness of the people of Monmouth. Volunteers arrived in their wellies and gloves ready to help, neighbours offered storage, and countless individuals contributed to our flood appeal. We are also grateful to Monmouthshire County Council for working closely with us throughout, ensuring support systems were in place when we needed them most.
The loss we feel is real and significant, but so too is our gratitude. In the face of devastation, Monmouth has shown once again what a community can achieve when it stands together.
Although we cannot yet provide a timeline for full reopening, we are committed to emerging from this disaster stronger than before. The restoration work, once complete, will allow us to welcome our community back into a building that is safeguarded for the future — renewed, resilient, and ready for the next chapter.
Bridges Centre has weathered many challenges over the years, and with your continued support, we will weather this one too. The doors may be closed for now, but the heart of the community beats on — and we look forward to opening again in a better state than ever.
Team Bridges
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