The Dudson Centre

The Dudson Centre is the 19th Century former factory of Dudson Ltd. The two hundred year old factory’s renovated buildings encompass a bottle kiln in the courtyard and provides a multipurpose Resource Centre with subsidised managed office space for 16 organisations, full conference & meeting facilities, I.T suite, café, reference & resource libraries, and a museum.

This original Dudson factory, a Grade II listed building, in Hanley, was donated to VAST in 1996 by The Dudson Group, and is managed by an independent group of trustees. This has been now transformed this into a new Resource Centre for local voluntary and community services.

This pioneering centre has enabled many voluntary organisations to share facilities and back office functions thus releasing precious resources for front line service delivery. It is a unique example of social enterprise in that is entirely self funded without recourse to public funds.

A flagship project of Government Office West Midlands, the Dudson Centre is a prime example of private, public and voluntary sectors partnerships. The Dudson family donated the building and the site to the community forming The Dudson Centre Trust. A pioneering partnership between the Dudson Group, Stoke-on-Trent City Council and VAST developed the Centre. Her Majesty The Queen visited the Centre in October 1999 and, to mark the Dudson Groups bicentenary in 2000, was presented with a modern replica of the clock made for the Great Exhibition of 1851.

The £3.5m renovation was funded by a range of private and public sector partners including The Dudson Group, ERDF, SRB, Stoke-on-Trent City Council and National Lottery and supported by Community Partnership with professional firms providing technical support.

The Dudson Centre also provides an insight into over 200 years of pottery production by the oldest surviving family business in the ceramic tableware industry. Here visitors can explore the original Dudson factory courtyard and enjoy the unique experience of stepping inside the Grade II listed bottle kiln to view the collection and to trace the fascinating history of the Dudson company’s production from 1800 to the present day.

The Dudson Centre is managed by VAST and hosts the following organisations:

• VAST - the Chamber of Commerce for the Not for Profit sector
• Lifestyle Coaches – NHS Stoke supporting people with a healthy lifestyle
• The Dudson Centre Cafe - Affordable home cooked food
• Volunteer Centre – Stoke – Supporting and Promoting Volunteering
• Staffordshire Community Foundation - Grants for Community Groups
• The Dove Service - Counseling and support in a number of issues including bereavement and illness.
• Echo Group (a project of Brighter Futures)
• Hindu Cultural Society - supporting the local Hindu Community
• Aiming Higher Together
• National Youth Advocacy Service
• North Staffordshire Users Group - Provides Service users with a voice
• Relate - a relationship and marriage counseling service
• SAVANA - Women's Rape & Sexual Violence Service for support and care
• Dudson Museum - History of the Dudson group
• NSCCA
• North Staffs MIND
• YSS

The Dudson Centre is open between 08:30am – 10:00pm

To view a virtual tour of the Dudson Centre please click here

For details of the Dudson Group please visit www.dudson.co.uk