Centre 81

What Centre 81 does

Centre 81 is a registered charity (Charity No. 1045514, Company House Registration No. 03027092) founded in 1981 and operating from its purpose-built headquarters, Yare House on Morton Peto Road in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. It serves disabled adults, their family carers, and elderly or mobility-impaired residents of the Borough of Great Yarmouth through two core services: a Skills & Activities Centre that delivers day services including painting, cooking, crafts, drama, singing, model railways, sailing, swimming, amateur dramatics, meals, personal pampering (manicures, chiropody, bathing, hair washing) and access to specialist equipment and an independent counsellor; and a Community Transport Service that runs door-to-door journeys in a fleet of wheelchair-accessible minibuses (with tail-lifts and anchor points) plus two mobility cars, using Section 19 Local Transport Act permits.

Revenue is generated almost entirely from charitable grants and donations rather than commercial fees. The largest funders are the National Lottery Community Fund, Norfolk County Council, Great Yarmouth Borough Council, the Norfolk Community Foundation, the Geoffrey Watling Charity and Ovamill, supplemented by individual donations, corporate sponsorships, legacies and community fundraising. Direct user contributions are minor: community transport membership is £25 per year with individual journey fares priced between public-transport and taxi levels, and surplus office space at Yare House (an open-plan and two executive offices totalling ~112 sqm, with five parking spaces and shared kitchenette) is rented out at £13,748 per annum. GTM is community-led — referrals through NHS health-check partnerships, the Norfolk Community Hotspots programme, word-of-mouth and Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram organic channels — supported by a volunteer programme and a referral-based membership process via telephone and online forms.

The charity is governed by a board of trustees (Chair currently vacant) and led by Chief Executive Alison Holmes, appointed at the end of 2024 from the regulated care sector. Day-to-day operations are led by Julie Charles (Skills and Activities Centre Manager, joined 1993) and Derek Rogers (Community Transport and Facilities Manager, joined late 2022). The technology base is operational rather than software-led: there are no consumer apps, no APIs, no AI/ML components, and the proprietary moat rests on physical assets (accessible fleet, Yare House facilities), 40+ years of local reputation, vocational staff training (NVQ 4 in adult health and social care) and the "Ability Not Disability" person-centred ethos. The addressable market is essentially capped at a single English borough, with no indicated plans for geographic replication or sector export.

Name

Centre 81

Legal name

Centre 81

Website

https://centre81.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Centre 81 is a UK registered charity in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, operating a Skills & Activities Centre and door-to-door Community Transport Service for disabled adults, family carers, and elderly residents of the Borough of Great Yarmouth.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Day Services and Community Transport

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Transportation-Integrated Adult Day Programs (Day Program + Non-Emergency Transport) (HLADAIAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wheelchair-Accessible & Mobility Vehicle Transport (HSABAOAC), Adult Day Program Transportation & Escort (Center-Operated) (HSABANAL), Recreational Outings, Community Participation & Mobility Support (Non-Clinical) (HSABAAAI), Community-Based Senior Centers with Adult Day Services (HLADAIAJ), Elder Services & Aging Support (BPAGAEAF)

Keywords

• Disability day services
• Accessible community transport
• Social care activities
• Charity disability support
• Accessible minibus services

Headquarters

HQ city

Great Yarmouth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Charitable Grants and Funding: Receives financial support from local authorities (Norfolk County Council, Great Yarmouth Borough Council), charitable funders (National Lottery Community Fund, Norfolk Community Foundation, Geoffrey Watling Charity, Ovamill), and other grant-making organisations
2. Community Transport Membership Fees: Annual membership for community transport service costs £25 per year; journey costs are described as less than taxis and a bit more than public transport fares
3. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, fundraising efforts, corporate sponsorships for specific projects/events/outings, and legacies from people who have been helped by or touched by Centre 81's work
4. Office Space Rental: Rental of office space at Yare House generating £13,748 per annum for open plan and executive office spaces with shared facilities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Centre 81 is a registered charity delivering two core services from its Yare House facility in Great Yarmouth: a Skills & Activities Centre that provides day services (social activities, personal pampering, meals, specialist equipment access) for adults with disabilities, and a Community Transport Service that offers door-to-door accessible minibus and mobility car transport for disabled and elderly residents of the Borough of Great Yarmouth who cannot use ordinary public transport.

Product overview

Centre 81 is a registered charity offering a unified service portfolio centered on supporting adults with disabilities and elderly residents. The core offerings are the Skills & Activities Centre (providing day activities, personal care, meals, and specialist equipment) and the Community Transport Service (door-to-door accessible transport). Additional services include Personal Pampering, Group Transport for clubs, Office Space Rental at Yare House, Volunteering Opportunities, and participation in the Norfolk Community Hotspots programme. Services are primarily delivered from Yare House in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Skills & Activities Centre A day centre for adults with disabilities offering a wide range of social, creative, and skill-building activities (including painting, cooking, crafts, drama, singing, social media, and model railway building), together with personal pampering services, nutritious meals, specialist equipment access, and independent counsellor access. Designed for members to choose and often help organise their own activities under the 'Ability Not Disability' ethos.
• Community Transport Service A door-to-door accessible minibus and mobility car transport service for disabled adults, elderly residents, and anyone else in the Borough of Great Yarmouth who cannot access ordinary public transport. The fleet consists of fully accessible minibuses with secure wheelchair anchor points and tail-lifts, plus two mobility cars, operated by friendly, trained drivers who assist passengers on and off. Membership is £25 per year, with journey costs priced between public transport fares and taxi fares.
• Group Transport for Clubs and Societies Group transport service offered under Section 19 of the Local Transport Act to local clubs and societies in the Borough of Great Yarmouth, enabling their members to take group outings and activities using Centre 81's accessible vehicles, helping clubs retain membership.
• Office Space Rental at Yare House Rental of office space at Centre 81's Yare House facility in Great Yarmouth, comprising an open plan office of 90.6 sqm, Executive Office 1 of 10.12 sqm, and Executive Office 2 of 11.94 sqm, with shared kitchenette, lift access, and 5 parking spaces included in the annual fee of £13,748.

Quantifiable outcome

• Helps disabled people remain active and reduce reliance on family, friends and carers
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Norfolk NHS Health ChecksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to host NHS health check clinics at Centre 81, providing health screening services for community members aged 40-74 and increasing Centre 81's community visibility.
• Norfolk Community HotspotsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentre 81 participates in Norfolk Community Hotspots program, opening Everards space on Mondays and Fridays 11am-2pm as a warm welcoming community space.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dimensions: UK charity providing community-based support, day activities and personalisation for adults with learning disabilities and autism. Strong overlap with Centre 81's member-led activity programme and family-carer support.
• Hft: National charity providing personalised support and day services for people with learning disabilities across England. Directly comparable to Centre 81's day-centre offer and reliance on local-authority contracting.
• HCT Group: UK social enterprise providing community transport and accessible minibus services to elderly and disabled people, operating under Section 19/22 permits across multiple regions. Highly comparable to Centre 81's transport arm in service model and target users.
• Voyage Care: National provider of supported living, day services and respite care for adults with learning disabilities, autism and acquired brain injuries. Comparable care-led, person-centred model to Centre 81.
• United Response: National UK charity supporting people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs through personalised day services, supported living and community engagement. Closely matches Centre 81's Skills & Activities Centre model and member-centred ethos.

Broad incumbents

• Mencap: Largest UK charity for people with learning disabilities, offering day services, housing, employment support and campaigning nationally. Broader scale and scope than Centre 81 but addresses the same core population and challenges.
• Community Integrated Care: National social care charity delivering supported living, day opportunities and bespoke support for vulnerable adults including those with disabilities. Overlapping service mix with Centre 81 but at significantly larger footprint.

Others

• Community Transport Association: UK membership body representing community transport operators including Section 19 schemes like Centre 81's. Relevant as an industry/regulatory peer rather than a direct service competitor.
• Leonard Cheshire:
• Norfolk County Council Adult Social Services: Local-authority commissioner that funds Centre 81 and could in-source or re-commission equivalent day and transport services. Included as the most material commissioner/ecosystem participant.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/centre81GY
• Facebookfacebook.com/Centre81GreatYarmouth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-81-great-yarmouth
• Instagraminstagram.com/centre81gy

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Centre 81