The name ‘Cresset’ refers to a basket of fire kept continuously alight and placed at the focal point of a medieval community. Around it, people gathered for their meetings and discussions; from it, they took fire to their own homes to provide heat and light. Like its namesake, The Cresset Theatre was designed to sit at the heart of the community, offering a wide range of services for local residents and visitors – and over 40 years after we opened our doors, we remain true to our original ethos of inclusion and community. You can read about our mission and values here.
The unique concept for The Cresset – a community hub at the heart of Bretton, the first new township of Greater Peterborough – was devised in the 1970s by Sir Harold Haywood. The Cresset was developed and built by multiple organisations, including Peterborough City Council, Peterborough Development Corporation, Cambridgeshire County Council and several voluntary organisations. 1978 saw the official opening of this unique community complex by HM The Queen on 22nd March. The Queen attended with Prince Philip and toured the building, meeting staff, volunteers and clients before unveiling a commemorative plaque in The Cresset reception.
The ambitious plans for the building included a library, youth club, theatre, sports facilities, day care centre, events venues and a church, as well as over 70 flats managed by YMCA. 40 years on, many of these services are still in operation – for more information on the businesses and organisations located on our premises, please visit our Shops & Services page.
The Cresset is completely self-funding but in 2014 it merged with what is now YMCA Trinity Group which has secured the future of the building and organisation. On 12th August 2018, to celebrate our 40th Anniversary of HM The Queen opening our doors, we invited the people of Peterborough to a big Cresset birthday party bash, with free tea and cake for all! We had performances from The X-Factor star Nicole Lawrence, Goldhay Arts and The U3A Ukulele Band as well as speeches from VIP guests including Cllr John Fox.
Over the past 40 years we’ve gone from strength to strength – playing host to an incredible range of events and welcoming millions of people through our doors. We hope to see you soon!
Our Mission & Values
The Cresset is not just a building, it is a unique, locally-focused organisation with a committed team of staff who work hard to deliver a wide range of affordable services and facilities for the community.
As a subsidiary of YMCA Trinity Group, we work in support of their vision, and have developed our own unique mission and values to ensure that these are embedded in our culture.
You can read more on the Vision and Values of YMCA Trinity Group here.
Our Mission
To be an inclusive, supportive community hub where people can connect, celebrate and play a part.
Our Values
We prioritise service
We place people at the forefront of everything that we do
We act with integrity
We are honest and remain true to our mission
We are a team
We deliver our best work together
We value partnership
We work to develop strong relationships with organisations and the community
Our Impact
The Cresset Ltd. is not funded by the local authority or any other public body. As a part of YMCA Trinity Group we operate a self funding, sustainable business, and ensure that all year end profits are put back into the work of the charity, directly supporting young and vulnerable people in our community.
As part of our mission we continue to look for ways to support the community. These include offering free or discounted rates to charity and community organisations; a performing arts programme offering opportunities to school age children; affordable access to theatre and entertainment for disabled people and their carers; and providing support and fundraising opportunities for a range of local charities.
Over 64,000 people attended 175 public performances and events in the theatre this year
80% of our theatre audiences came from within the PE postcode area
We engaged with over 1,900 young people through our performing arts programme and partnerships
Support Us
The Cresset is for everyone, and we appreciate your support. If you would like to make a donation to help us continue to develop our services we would be extremely grateful.
