'It's gone beyond our wildest dreams' - Club at the heart of Newport celebrates 40 years of community spirit

Newport Navy Club's clubhouse on Bellman's Yard off Newport High Street opened 40 years ago in 1985 inside a former bakery.

Ever since, the building has been at the heart of the town, hosting community groups and parties celebrating and commemorating milestones. 

For many years now, the club has offered use of the building free of charge to those wishing to raise money for good causes. 

During 2024 alone, Newport Navy Club has assisted various groups in raising £8,275 for their chosen charities, which have included Newport Cottage Care Centre, Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust and Alzheimer's Society.

Newport Food Bank, which runs out of the clubhouse every Friday, have also benefited from donations.

Committee member Jude Paton, formerly of Hey Jude's music shop, has been at the forefront of many of the fundraising events. 

In 2006, Jude's partner Roy lost his battle with cancer, and since then she has raised over £45,000 for Severn Hospice, who helped care for Roy in his final days.

She explained: "A lot of the charities we support have been chosen by club members because they're something that is close to their hearts."

On Friday, the committee gathered to hand over yet another cheque of £2,500 to the hospice charity, which was gratefully received by senior community fundraiser, Nicky Green.

Nicky said: "Jude has been working with us for 19 years now since she lost Roy, who was in our Bicton hospital. For all those years she's been fundraising for us, using this amazing club. To reach £45,000 is incredible.

"Our costs have gone up by over a million pounds this year, so any contribution is amazing. It means we can carry on providing care to people in the local community - a service that we have to raise £10.8 million every year to carry on doing. This is a great contribution towards that." 

The Navy Club started in 1978 - current chairman Pete Bunting was one of the founding members when the club got together in the pubs around the town.

Pete said: "We wanted to have a place that would offer a home to people in the Navy, that would support them while they were away and when they got back. It's gone beyond that now and embraced the whole community - it's gone beyond our wildest dreams." 

Now, regular events include hosting a weekly veterans  breakfast that serves around 60 fry-ups each week, a thriving weekly open mic night every Tuesday, as well as regular northern soul and Irish folk and blues nights.

As many community groups and social clubs cry out for members, Newport Navy Club goes from strength to strength, having gone from 202 members to 267 in the last year alone.

To find out more information about the club visit newportnavyclub.co.uk or search Newport Navy Club on Facebook.