Our international community and activity centre is the first centre in The Hague to be accorded the ‘Community Centre of the Future’ label.

The Alderman for Welfare, Youth and Sport, Karsten Klein, recently fixed a commemorative plaque to the entrance of The Hungry Mind Community & Activity Centre and said this is an excellent example of a community centre run by volunteers.

He said it was a fine initiative by its founder, Petra Brekelmans, to set up a centre that served both the local and international communities of The Hague.

Alderman Karsten Klein fixes the plaque to the clubhouse

Speaking to DutchbuzZ radio, Mr Klein said the focus was changing from state run community centres to initiatives that come forth out of the communities themselves.

“It’s a new way of thinking”, he explained. “When you talk about civil society, the responsibility for its welfare rests with the individual or groups of individuals,” he said. Several state run community centres in The Hague have been closed recently.

Petra Brekelmans said she was delighted with the acknowledgement that The Hungry Mind was an exemplary community centre and a model for future centres.

Lily-Anne Stroobach

Having lived abroad for 20 years, we moved to The Hague in 2009.  It’s great to volunteer at The Hungry Mind and be around ‘like-minded’ people of many different nationalities.

In November 2011 I joined the board of The Hungry Mind. I am responsible for the volunteers and the C&S/CAS students.

Since I am a sports instructor, I immediately conceived the plan to teach the XCO Walking and Running class at The Hungry Mind. Set up with the help of Petra, Lynda, and Tricia since April 2012 I run XCO Walking and Running classes with small groups on Monday and Thursday mornings.

I am Dutch, married to Ronald, and we have two children (10 and 11 years). We have been living in The Hague for 12 years now. Although my background is commercial, I was raised with sports. So, we are a sporty family. Now that I have discovered outdoor sports, I like to transfer my enthusiasm to others.

The Hungry Mind is THE perfect opportunity to meet people of different nationalities, and to learn from their cultures and stories. It is very nice to be able to teach here in the outdoors.

I am a freelance international human resources consultant and business trainer, and provide workshops for The Hungry Mind on: living and working in the Netherlands, Dutch culture and etiquette, time management, finding a job in the Netherlands, interview skills, and vocal presentation skills. In 2011 I held a time management workshop for our volunteers.

In my spare time I’m a keen horse-woman, having been riding since I was ten years old. This makes me the perfect choice as a group leader for the horse riding summer camp that I organise at The Hungry Mind in the Summer and Autumn vacations. In addition to this busy professional and social life, I also have my own jazz combo ‘Pepper Jazz’, and I am the lead singer of the Swinging Oldtimers Big Band.

In between assignments I can be found serving visitors behind the bar, or in the community centre dispensing tea and providing advice to the international members of The Hungry Mind.

I am Dutch and moved during my childhood years back and forth between Florida (USA) and Holland. I would have loved a community Centre like The Hungry Mind in Florida so that I could have gotten in contact with the local community so much quicker. Therefore I understand the importance of our centre, building bridges.

I have a great family, a husband and three sons, to whom I devote most of my time. The remaining time I spend on my hobbies (ceramics, sailing, volunteer work, painting), my work at the Haagse Hogeschool, and of course The Hungry Mind!

I also teach chess to ‘children’ from 70 to 100 years young, and have been a member of the winning high school chess team of The Hague.

We, Marjo, Norma and I, take care of the inner person. All children get lemonade and fruit and for the parents / guardians we make tostis, soup, hot dogs, cappuccino, and more, with great pleasure! And of course we clean up afterwards!

Being retired (65), I am lucky to have the time to be mobile and give these joyful classes, at least as long as my health allows me. The children are very devoted and creative; often they invent ‘new variations’ of chess.

Professionally I used to work in the border area of communication and welfare, but in my youth, amongst other things, I also worked in the docks of my birth place Rotterdam.

Writing, after my retirement, for two periodicals of the quarter Bohemen-Waldeck-Kijkduin, I came in touch with The Hungry Mind.

I was born in Ginneken, went to high school in Breda, and studied law at the University of Nijmegen. I had a lot of jobs, from working in a community centre to social work, but in the end I had a career as a civil servant. I loved to play the piano sinc the age of 6, and am playing still today.

Being involved with “The Hungry Mind” experience is so appealing to me, because of the open mindedness of all those wonderful people who, all on a volontary basis, so happily and so relaxed sign on to the activities of the organisation.

I also can give free reign to my creative urges as inspired by my patchwork hobby and such like. If you want to join me in these handycrafts please let me know. Doing these sorts of things together in such a stimulating environment is like sharing the best things of life.