Bridge- 5 Mill is Manchester 's first Centre for Sustainable Living. It is a unique example of a community-focused solution for our inner cities.
This converted mill in Ancoats provides a physical focus for debate and action around sustainability, and is home to a unique mix of charities, campaign groups and green businesses. The centre provides community resources including meeting rooms, a library and offices for voluntary groups and social enterprises. The whole building can also be used as a large conference venue.
The Mill was refurbished with the support of volunteers and trainees and is Manchester 's most environmentally friendly building. Manchester Civic Society acknowledged this in 2001 when Bridge-5 Mill won the award of Manchester 's most energy efficient building.
This floor is open to the pubic with a reception office, meeting and resource area including information library and a computer suite, which runs ITC courses and offers free internet facilities.
This floor houses numerous offices. The spaces have been let to both fully established businesses such as Pathways Consultancy - a training provider for regeneration areas, and new businesses trying to find their feet, such as Wild Shows and Feasts. The floor also provides office space and other community facilities for local and national charities and voluntary groups at an affordable rent, with access to administrative support and printing facilities.
This floor accommodates MERCi's staff and related projects.
The third floor is home to four voluntary and community groups including the Campaign for a Hydrogen Economy (CHEC) and Izinyane Lesilo, a traditional a capella Zimbabwean choir.
This floor houses the exhibition area; providing workshop space for schools and organisations in the day time, meeting space for various groups in the evening, and conference space which holds a hundred people.
This part of Bridge-5 Mill is home to a number of larger voluntary groups like Manchester One Parent Families group as well as an art & craft room and mechanics workshop.