Selby Trust

Our History

The Selby Trust was set up as a charity in 1992 by local people who recognised the need for a multi-purpose centre led by the community and third sector organisations. It was supported by the late Bernie Grant MP, who had a vision for a place in the community that people could afford and call their own. Selby registered as charity in May 1994 and Company Limited by guarantee in May 1993.

Since 1992, it has operated from the Selby Centre in Tottenham, in former school premises, which the Trust manages as a multi-purpose community and social enterprise centre, with a 25 year lease from LB Haringey. The site is 150,000 square feet, with offices, meeting rooms, training facilities, sports and events halls and a large car park.

Selby Centre, which is located in an area of high deprivation, brings together a rich mix of individuals and organisations, primarily from BME, refugee and other historically excluded communities in Tottenham, Haringey, North London and beyond.

Almost 80% of Selby Trust funding is self-generated.

The Selby Trust and Haringey Council are working in partnership to re-develop the Selby Centre and the land around it to create a new ‘Selby Urban Village.’

The community focused scheme will provide a new high-quality Selby Centre, affordable housing for Haringey residents and improved sports facilities on Bull Lane.

What the Selby Trust does

The Selby Trust has 5 inter-related functions:

1. Community Facilities Management – Maintaining the Selby Centre as a community facility which reaches over 100 enterprises and attracts 1,500 individuals each week with a wide range of activity
2. Community Development Centre – Bringing grass-root partnerships and consortia together in a rich mix of cutting edge services that challenge poverty, injustice and inequality across north London
3. Community Economic Development – Achieving sustainability through social enterprise that promote growth in the local economy and SME organisations, whilst serving social and environmental functions
4. Community Safety – Encouraging safer neighbourhoods with less violence, anti-social behaviour and better life chances for young people, women, offenders and ex-offenders
5. Community Environmental Development – Creating a diverse, low carbon community as a model of good practice with sustainability at the heart of what we do

Selby Trust philosophy

• To increase the capacity and sustainability of historically excluded groups in the diverse communities served
• To promote and support, directly and through networking, a range of opportunities to enable all communities to achieve economic, social and cultural growth
• To be a key player in community and economic development through partnership working at all levels – locally, London-wide, nationally and internationally.