A Day to Remember: Lowton Community Hub’s Family Fun Day Brings the Borough Together
What a day it was. Lowton Community Hub recently played host to a vibrant, community-packed Family Fun Day that brought people together from right across the borough — and left us with a whole lot to be proud of and excited about.
Organised in partnership with LENDF (the Lowton East Neighbourhood Development Forum — a non-political community group that has been championing the residents and businesses of Lowton East for years), the event spread across not one, not two, but three sites: Lowton Social Club, Oaklands Park, and the Lowton Community Hub itself. Each venue buzzed with activity, energy, and a genuine sense of community spirit.
A Hub of Activities, Workshops, and Good Food
At the morning of the day, Lowton Community Hub delivered a packed programme of activities and workshops for people of all ages. Visitors were also able to refuel and catch up with friends and neighbours at the Lowton Community Café, which kept everyone well fed and watered throughout the day — because every great community event deserves great food.
Be Well: Health Advice on Your Doorstep
One of the highlights of the day was the presence of Wigan Council’s Be Well team. Be Well is Wigan Council’s health and wellbeing movement, supporting individuals and families to lead healthier, happier lives across the borough. From health advice and exercise support to connecting people with the right services, the Be Well team were on hand to do exactly what they do best — meeting people where they are and making wellbeing accessible for everyone.
Adding further weight to the health and wellbeing offer on the day, the NHS were also in attendance, providing free health checks for visitors. From blood pressure and cholesterol to general health screenings, having NHS professionals on-site gave people a valuable and accessible opportunity to take stock of their health — no appointment needed, no waiting room. It’s exactly the kind of joined-up, community-first approach that makes events like this so much more than just a fun day out.
Martial Arts Takes Centre Stage
The day also gave the crowd something spectacular to watch. Leigh Judo Club delivered impressive judo demonstrations and exhibitions, showcasing the skill, discipline and athleticism the sport demands. It was a fantastic spectacle that drew in audiences of all ages.
Not to be outdone, the locally-based Kokoro Jujitsu — whose dojo is right here at the Lowton Community Hub — put on an equally impressive display of traditional Jujitsu demonstrations and a practical self-defence session. Established in 2017, Kokoro Jujitsu is built on the values of respect, safety, and enjoyment, and their session embodied exactly that. Led by experienced instructors including Chief Instructors Sensei Ian Charlson, the club has earned a strong reputation across the community for empowering students with genuine self-defence skills in a welcoming environment.
The Kokoro session also served as a very exciting sneak peek into their upcoming 10-week female-only self-defence course — a programme designed to give women in the local community the tools, techniques and confidence to stay safe. The course is expected to be hugely popular, and for good reason. With spaces anticipated to go quickly, keep an eye on the Kokoro Jujitsu website at kokorojj.co.uk for booking details.
A Landmark Day: Celebrating the Wigan Council Family Hub at Lowton
Beyond all the activities and excitement, the day marked a truly significant milestone for this community. The fun day formally celebrated the establishment of the Wigan Council Family Hub at Lowton Community Hub — a major new service for families right here on Newton Road.
The Lowton Family Hub is part of Wigan Borough’s ambitious network of Family Hubs — a new way of bringing together all the support a family may need, from pregnancy right through to young people turning 19 (or up to 25 for those with a Special Educational Need or Disability). Covering the communities of Ashton, Golborne and Lowton, with linked sites at Ashton Leisure Centre and Golborne Library, the Hub is set to become an invaluable resource for local families.
The range of services and sessions on offer is genuinely impressive:
- Baby and Toddler Classes — including Wiggles and Giggles, Mini Movers, and Music Mayhem
- Postnatal Assessment and Baby Massage
- Employment Support — including CV writing workshops to help parents and carers get back into work
- SEND Support — through the evidence-backed Riding the Rapids programme, a course helping parents and carers of children with Autism, learning disabilities or complex disabilities to understand behaviour, build confidence, and develop practical strategies for a happier home life
This is a genuinely transformative offer for the area, and having it based right here in our community is something to celebrate.
Coming Soon: Dojo Pizza and the Slice of Hope Project
And if all of that wasn’t enough excitement for one day, the fun day also gave visitors a tantalising first glimpse at something new on the horizon — Dojo Pizza, an exciting upcoming social enterprise with real purpose at its core.
Home to the Slice of Hope project, Dojo Pizza is being developed to provide meaningful support, training and skills for young people, while also playing a central role in re-establishing the new Lowton Youth Club. It’s a bold, community-minded venture that promises to give young people in the area genuine opportunities — and one we can’t wait to share more about as it develops.
Days like this don't happen without the hard work of a great many people. A huge thank you to our partners at LENDF for making a multi-site event of this scale possible, to Wigan Council's Be Well and Family Hub teams, to Leigh Judo Club and Kokoro Jujitsu for bringing such energy and skill to the day, and to every single person who came along and made the Hub feel exactly like what it should be — the heart of our community. There is a huge amount to look forward to in the months ahead.