about us

The Moonshot has its origins in the early 80’s when local people successfully lobbied for a building that would provide a base for the African Caribbean communities of New Cross. The project’s establishment in the wake of the New Cross fire gave the building a special significance, and when the Moonshot was forced to close in 1999 it was always anticipated that the original aspirations for the project would be sustained as part of a new vision for the building.

The Atrium, the beautiful entrance into the building is a major addition to the original building. It has a stairway leading up to a café area and either side of the stairway are seats in the structure of an amphitheatre, which has the capacity for an audience of about 100.

This magnificent space also accommodates two Dance Studio’s; one with rake seating and the other a much larger space without rake seating. A large Seminar Room that divides into three separate rooms and two Teacher Lecture Rooms. Deptford Green has a specific area housing a Music Room, Drama Room and an ITC Suite with two rooms.

A Consortium of four partners has been established that will continue the original focus on children and young people, but also support the development of joint initiatives that draw on the skills and aspirations of all age groups.

History

Built in 1981, The Moonshot is owned by the London Borough of Lewisham and was formerly known as the Pagnel Street youth and Community Centre. It was purpose built for the African Caribbean communities in the New Cross from funding made available by the Urban Programme. The local community contributed some of the match funding, as part of the projects establishing in the wake of the New Cross fire, which has always given the building special significance. 

A consortium of four partners got together to create a positive outlook for the Moonshot. It is now actively up and running, Housing IRIE! Dance Theatre, Playhouse Community Nursery and Deptford Green. 

Community involvement in the building has been at the heart of the buildings history and it is expected through so many of the local community coming into contact with the building, through childcare, school, dance and through life long learning opportunities, that the building will again take its place at the centre of the community.

The official opening of the new refurbished Moonshot Centre took take place in February 2007. Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham, conducted an official opening ceremony to celebrate this new state of the art facility.

Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham and Mrs Sybil Phoenix, MBE was joined with invited guests to officially re-open the refurbished Moonshot Centre on Friday 8 June. Sir Steve Bullock said: 'I’m delighted to be re-opening this new state of the art centre with Mrs Phoenix. So many people have pulled together to get this centre up and running again. It has meant a lot to the local communities, the partner organisations involved and me.
 
'I’m so impressed. The new refurbished centre is a community facility for everyone to enjoy.'