People in the community increasingly bemoaned the lack of dedicated community services for people within the Stifford Estate. As a result the local community gathered together to form Stifford TJRS TRA Community Centre to try and achieve the dream of creating a community centre. The name was chosen as a combination of the buildings within the Stifford estate, Tinsley, Jamaica, Redmans and Stepney Green to form TJRS.

The next step was consultation with various councillors in trying to secure a premises and funding in order to make the dream a reality. The following few years were spent in trying to find a way in which this centre could achieve its goals.

The search concludes with the Council agreeing to convert 3 derelict shops into a community centre. Funding from ERDF and the Tower Hamlets is agreed and planning for the building starts with architect drawings. The community centre is registered with the charity commission with the charity no: 108

Building work is started in early 2000 ready for a Summer opening. Various projects are launched which include Mother Tongue, Luncheon Club and the Womens project. This is a historic breakthrough for the people of Stifford Estate who finally had a service catering for them.

The centre flourishes and Mainstream funding is secured for projects in the centre. The local community increasingly become aware that there is a community centre providing services for them.

A huge milestone is reached as ESF funding is obtained from Jobcentre to deliver ICT network training to a pan-London base. The course is to deliver Cisco accredited training to those who were unemployed. A partnership is formed with StudioLan to deliver the course.   

Further funding is secured for a similarly scoped ICT project with funding from the LSC.  Courses include Cisco Networking, Microsoft training as well as Accounting and Business Management.

Another  highpoint at Stifford as the Health Trainers Project is launched, funded by the NHS PCT. The project is to deliver health advice to the local community which includes healthy eating, smoking cessation as well as......

This year also saw the approval of plans to completely redevelop the centre and make it a purpose built community centre. Plans for a 4 storey building are approved and the long road to redevelopment began.

The ICT project comes to an end and is recognised by the LSC as one of the best service providers, great news for the Stifford Centre. In addition the health trainers project is extended from the initial one year to an indefinite period due its incredible success.

An extension is made to the Stifford Centre as part of the redevelopment process. A porta-cabin is installed beside the centre allowing for much needed space as the centre continues to outgrow itself with the many projects that it is delivering.