Our Journey and Growth

Bournemouth Gateway Club has come a long way since its beginnings in January 2010. What started as a small social club meeting for just two hours every fortnight has grown into a thriving community, providing friendship, opportunities and support for adults with learning disabilities and related conditions.

Originally known as Winton Gateway Club, we began at Linwood School before moving to the Embassy Centre, which has been our home ever since.

Growing to Meet the Needs of Our Community

As local authority day centres began to close, we recognised that more people needed somewhere to go, things to do and opportunities to make friends. We responded by introducing a full day of activities each week.

In 2012, we became a registered charity and limited company, officially changing our name to Bournemouth Gateway Club.

Our services continued to develop, and in 2014 we became one of Mencap's pilot online Gateway Award Centres. This was an exciting chapter in our history and helped us expand our provision to two days a week.

Adapting and Supporting Our Members

Like many organisations, the COVID-19 pandemic brought significant challenges. But we were determined to stay connected with our members, offering online activities, telephone support and outdoor sessions whenever possible.

As the cost of living crisis began to affect our community, we introduced a period of free sessions to help make Gateway accessible to everyone. We also expanded our daytime provision to include Wednesdays, giving members more opportunities to get involved.

Today, Gateway offers day opportunities three days a week, fortnightly Saturday evening socials and regular trips and activities out in the community.

Throughout all these changes, our focus has remained the same: helping people build friendships, develop confidence, enjoy new experiences and feel part of their community.

An Exciting New Chapter – The Embassy Centre

April 2026 marked another major milestone in Gateway's history when we took over the management of the Embassy Centre through a Community Asset Transfer from BCP Council.

Having called the Embassy Centre home for so many years, we're delighted to now have the opportunity to shape its future.

We're embarking on an ambitious five-year refurbishment programme to improve the building, make it more welcoming and accessible, and ensure it remains a valuable community resource for years to come.

This is about much more than improving a building. It's about creating opportunities, strengthening community connections and developing a space where people can come together.

Looking to the Future

We're proud of how far Bournemouth Gateway Club has come, but we're equally excited about what lies ahead.

As we continue to develop our services and improve the Embassy Centre, we'll keep listening to our members, responding to their needs and exploring new ways to make a positive difference.

Gateway has always been about people, friendships and opportunities — and that's exactly what will guide us into the future.