Restoring People, Places and Things...

'The Great Escape' is a community workspace for local people that want to find something to do. Something to fill their time, something that feeds their passions, builds a sense of pride in their lives and confidence that they are doing something that matters to their families, their communities and their peers.

Our lived experience, peer-support and community driven workspace is based 'down dock' in Grimsby and built to provide a creative space in the heart of the community, with access to the tools, materials and skills needed to set up community projects, spaces for small start-ups and home-workers.

We also provide event spaces and meeting spaces for local clubs and societies that maybe struggle (or can't always afford) to find somewhere to meet with their groups or with like-minded people.

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to help further our community however we can. Helping those with ideas get them off the ground with plenty of support and space to start.

OUR VISION

We believe that people coming together to create uplifting businesses, spaces and experiences to benefit the community should be valued, enabled and embraced.

OUR VALUES

We want everyone to be able to have a space where they feel safe and valued, learn new skills, meet like minded people and find their sense of community.

Community Venue on Grimsby Docks

We've created a safe environment where people in recovery and the community can socialise freely, without the stigma of alcohol and addiction.

Find Out More

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Join in with existing FREE communities.

Paintwater Soup Discord Minipainting Community and The Dice Factory.

We're building a free inclusive hobby community open to all 16+, focused on supporting positive mental well-being through table top gaming, miniature painting and all things hobby related.


No experience needed. Regular sessions held at the Great Escape building on Grimsby's historic docks.

Find out more

We're never short of something to do...

We support and develop ideas and innovation in the community. We've got plenty of activities, community projects and initiatives for local people, volunteers and members of the recovery community alike.

'What we create at The Great Escape building is flexible and human-centered, based on feedback and ideas from our local community. We’re not about hierarchy; we believe that people coming together to create community projects, spaces and experiences to benefit the community should be valued, enabled and embraced'.

WE ARE A CREATIVE SPACE WITH COMMUNITY AT THE VERY HEART...


The Great Escape is where people can gather to co-create, share resources and knowledge, work on projects, network and build great things. Together, we help people develop their skills and creativity.


We empower local people who are ready to 'escape the ordinary' life and build something new for themselves, their families and their communities.


Our mission and values are based upon:

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  • A passion to include everyone, irrespective of background.
  • A desire to treat everyone equally, respecting any differences.
  • A sense of hope that things can be transformed.
  • Perseverance to keep going against all odds.

DEVELOP IDEAS AND LEARN WHAT WORKS

We support and develop ideas and innovation in the community.

A COMMUNITY CO-WORKING SPACE

Community projects are sometimes the first steps to building relationships and testing what works. We are excited to partner with local talent, organisations and businesses to develop unique events, initiatives and projects to help the community thrive from within.

Heritage Zone Projects...

By assisting members with practical skills, expertise and access to essential spaces and equipment and creative activities that suit all skill levels, we help to create different forms of art that can be exhibited or sold to further support our mission.

  • Ongoing Recovery Café, Community Kitchen and Social Space build.
  • Restoration of Building 7 'Sub Zero Storage' in to a Community Workshop and storage facility for our building and restoration projects.
  • Upskilling, training and working towards employability.
  • Community workspaces for makers creators, hobbyists etc.
  • Community Initiatives around well-being and mental health.
  • Down Dock Digital Project - Heritage Tours, Podcasts. Historical Archive.

Recovery Community Projects...

Our lived experience, peer-support structure focuses on using art and social contact to build trust, encourages personal development to create a sense of positive well-being and rebuilds members' confidence and self-esteem.

  • Further development of a diverse itinery of workshop events.
  • Paint the Town Proud II - Community Murals and Outreach.
  • Increase provision of holistic therapies and counselling.
  • Focus attention on inclusion of families and affected others.
  • Further integration in to community to reduce stigma associated with addiction.

History in the (Re)Making...

By embracing the history and heritage of Grimsby Docks and using our understanding of the past helps us to develop new and modern initiatives that seek to wisely and freely use the space generously provided to our community by our predecessors.

Local media in Grimsby recently highlighted that many run-down areas within the community were in need of renovation, including the docks in Grimsby.


Creative Start was selected by ABP as a tenant on Grimsby Docks because of our social impact, creative skill set and community ethos.

We were given a choice of premises 'down dock' and were one of the first local community organisations to begin regeneration of a building in the area.


We've recently completed making a number of  rooms habitable for free use by our members and available to hire for the wider community in Grimsby.

We have focused on the build of workshop environments, where heavy tools can be used for renovation work.

Next stage is the restoration of the building exterior; scheduled to start in 2023.

We are in the process of creating a community social space, community kitchen and Grimsby's first recovery cafe.

The Great Escape

One of our 2 meeting rooms and with space for up to 16 people, the 'Great Escape' Room is our signature room, designed to pay homage to the 'Great Escape' movie and the veteran groups that helped us with some of the renovations.

Hire this room

The Engine Room

Our second large meeting space is themed as an underwater room. Think Captain Nemo meets steam punk! A small space for 1 to 1 meetings or larger meetings up to 10 people.

Hire this room

Movie Room

One of the largest rooms in the building is our movie room and social lounge. It's a great space for informal meetings and one-to-ones with a unique 50s retro feel.

Hire this room

Grimstone

Originally used for holding wages for the local fishermen, with the payment office next door, this former strong room is now our secure storage space!

Escape Artist

The first of our art studios affectionately known as the 'Escape Artist' room. A bright, airy room overlooking the Pontoon, Marina and the Grimsby Ice Factory.

Community  Kitchen

You can't work on a project like this without inspiration... and food! Our viking themed community kitchen takes a nod at the area's heritage and is always the centre of activity.

ROOM HIRE AT THE GREAT ESCAPE

Need a space to meet? Our meeting rooms can be hired on an ad-hoc, as needed basis, charged hourly. No fuss, No commitments. We provide discounts to community projects or organisations that promote the same values as our own. Just speak to our team to find out more.

COMMUNITY MEMBERSHIP PACKAGES - COMING SOON!

RECOVERY
MEMBERSHIP

Fuel your recovery! Members of our Recovery Community get FREE daily access to our Community Kitchen, Recovery Cafe, Workshop and Restoration Yard.

FREE

CREATIVE
MEMBERSHIP

Get out of the house! Weekday access to a hot desking space, use of our community studio, podcast room  and digital equipment plus 4 hours Meeting Room Hire, Monthly.

£20/mo

COMMERCIAL
MEMBERSHIP

Feel a need to network? Weekday access to a hot desking space, use of our community studio and equipment 10 hours Meeting Room Hire, Monthly.

We couldn't do a project of this size without all the hard-working people volunteering with us.

Are you interested in working flexibly with like-minded people in a non-judgemental creative space in a peer-support role?

Spending time and working alongside others is good for you and probably one of the best things you could do for your mental health.

Get Involved
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