Thornton is holding its biennial Open Gardens event on Sunday 21st June from 1-6pm.  Contrasting gardens will be open for you to wander around and enjoy. There will also be refreshments – including cream teas –  and a plant stall.
Dogs on leads are welcome at many of the gardens.
Proceeds All proceeds from this event are for the maintenance, restoration and improvement of our beautiful historic church.
Cost £5.00, accompanied children free.
How to get tickets / programmes Programmes will be available from Thornton Nurseries, The Bricklayers Arms, The Corner Shop. St. Peter’s Church, all participating gardens and the Community Centre.
Directions / Parking Head for LE67 IAH Some parking is available at the Community Centre.
Accessibility: It should be noted that Thornton is built on a ridge and so many of the gardens are on slopes or are terraced with steps and are therefore not ideal for those in wheelchairs or with impaired mobility. Some of the pavements are also narrow. Our printed programme attempts to indicate those more suitable.
The village’s spacious community centre and sports hall stand as a testament to the commitment and hard work of residents and fundraisers from the late 1960s and early 1970s. At that time, the village was experiencing growth yet lacked suitable venues for communal activities. Doctors, clubs, and other groups were forced to meet in private homes and public houses, highlighting the need for a dedicated gathering space.
In 1969, with the opportunity to access new land and the backing of the Parish Council, Reverend John Seymour and a committee initiated fundraising efforts and began planning for a community facility. Their dedication culminated in the construction of the main hall in 1973, built on leased land—a practice that continues to this day.
Further fundraising made it possible to add a separate sports hall, which was officially opened in September 1988.
Management of the Community Centre
The community centre is overseen by a dedicated team of unpaid volunteer trustees. These individuals play a pivotal role in maintaining and managing the facility, ensuring it continues to serve as a valuable asset for the village. New members are warmly encouraged to join the trustees, helping to safeguard this wonderful resource for the benefit of future generations. To facilitate the centre’s smooth operation, the trustees convene one evening every six weeks, addressing any issues and planning for ongoing improvements.
Revenue and Funding
Recent Improvements and Expenditure
In the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, the community centre has undergone a significant transformation, with numerous enhancements made to modernise the 53-year-old building. Essential works included the installation of a new drainage system and a new ceiling in the sports hall, the addition of extra toilets and a second kitchen, and the upgrade of lighting to energy-efficient LED fixtures and more. These improvements were crucial to ensure the centre remains functional and fit for purpose. Over £98,000 was invested to carry out these necessary works, with the drainage and ceiling repairs emerging as urgent priorities that were not part of the original plans but became essential to keep the centre open.
Future Projects and Urgent Needs
Planning permission was successfully obtained for the creation of a decked area at the rear of the centre and the extension of the car park. Although efforts are underway to secure funds to complete these projects, the centre is currently facing a more urgent requirement: replacement of the heating system in the main hall. This system, now 53 years old, has developed multiple leaks beneath the wooden floor in recent months, making its renewal a pressing priority for the remaining funds.
Sources of Revenue
The community centre depends almost entirely on payments and donations from regular user groups, fees from hiring the centre for parties and events, a modest annual precept from the parish council, and occasional small grants from local businesses. These sources form the backbone of the centre’s income and are vital for ongoing maintenance and improvements.
Appeal for Community Support
With fuel bills continuing to rise, the centre urgently needs support from the community in the form of donations to help sustain and further enhance its facilities. Every contribution, no matter how small, is greatly appreciated and will help ensure the centre remains open and accessible for all.
How to Donate
If you are able to contribute, please consider donating to the Thornton Community Centre fund. Donations can be made to the following account: Please use the reference ‘donation’.
Thornton Artisan Festival 2026 to Celebrate Local Creativity and Community Spirit
A brand-new celebration of art, craft, food and community is set to bring Thornton to life this summer as the Thornton Artisan Festival 2026 takes place from Friday 26th to Sunday 28th June at the Thornton Community Centre and Grounds, Main Street, Thornton.
Organised by the Community Events Committee supported by local artists and crafters, and residents McSmith Events.
The three-day festival aims to showcase the area’s creative talent while uniting residents and visitors for a vibrant, family-friendly weekend.
The festival has been designed with a clear purpose: to promote local talent and independent businesses, boost community pride, attract visitors to the area, and support small creative enterprises and local food producers.
All profits will go towards funding new central heating for the Community Centre, with £24,000 needed to complete the essential replacement of a failing 53-year-old system.
Festival organisers promise a lively and inclusive atmosphere, with the Community Centre and its grounds transformed into a hub of creativity and entertainment.
The Featured Artists Gallery in the Main Hall will display a curated exhibition of local art, photography and sculpture, while the Craft & Makers Market in the Sports Hall will showcase handmade goods from talented artisans and independent creators.
Outdoors, the Artisan Food & Drink Zone will celebrate local producers offering quality food and refreshments, and a Children’s Zone will keep younger visitors entertained. A Community Gallery Wall and live music will add to the weekend’s festivities, ensuring there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
The festival will open on Friday evening with a special ticketed performance by one of the UK’s best-known Celtic music bands, Govannen. Tickets are priced at £20 and must be pre-booked via thorntonvillage@aol.com.
Daytime entry to the festival on Saturday and Sunday is free, with funds raised through stallholder fees, sponsorship, advertising and a community raffle. Organisers are currently seeking prize donations and sponsorship from local businesses to help support the event. Sponsorship offers valuable promotion and visibility while directly contributing to the improvement of the Community Centre.
Artists, crafters, entertainers, food vendors and sponsors are all invited to get involved in this exciting new community venture. Those interested in booking a stall, donating raffle prizes or becoming a sponsor can request further details and a booking form by contacting thorntonartisan@gmail.com.
For updates and announcements, follow the festival on Facebook at Thornton Artisan Festival and on the village website www.thorntonvillage.org.
We have something a little bit different at Thornton Community Centre.
St Peter’s Church would like to invite you to a (free) workshop where you’ll create little metal charms called Milagros. Their full meaning will be explained on the day but they have a spiritual connection.
Our time together starts and ends with contemporary Christian song and a period of reflection or prayer.
Leading us will be the talented artist Hayley Fern from St. Johns Church, Hugglescote – some of you may recognise her from her pilgrimage to draw all the churches in the Leicester diocese.
Thank you Ben from Thornton Nurseries for supplying the plants and planting up the four planters along the driveway at Thornton Community Centre this week.
They look great. The plants have certainly been very well ‘watered in’.
In a strange anomaly it was discovered last year when some long lost plans of the centre were located in the Parish Council offices, that the driveway is not part of the lease agreement between the Community Centre and the Parish Council and therefore the maintenance of the borders is actually the responsibility of the PC.
The PC have worked within a very limited budget to get the borders tidied up to enhance the approach to the centre, and have relocated four large planters (donated by Bardon quarries) from the approach roads to the village where they had remained ‘unloved’ and ‘unkempt’ for a few years, onto the the borders on the understanding that they are maintained by the Trustees of the centre.
The trustees approached Thornton Nurseries for plants and Ben has kindly supplied and planted them up for the Centre at no charge.
Thank you so much for your Community spirit in helping the trustees maintain and improve the facilities at the Centre for the community and visitors to the many events planned over the next few months.
Our first event of the year, raising funds for Thornton Church, St Peter’s.
Please come along to our Clear Out sale, and help us to raise money for essential repairs for our church whilst at the same time finding yourself new treasures and gifts.
There will be 21 tables over two rooms full of a huge variety of beautiful bargains.
Thornton 