The Woodley Park Centre is the first public building in the UK designed and built according to the principles of Maharishi Sthapatya Veda. This ancient and supreme system of architecture takes into account many factors in the local and distant environment to deliver buildings that promote the health and happiness of the occupants.

Maharishi Sthapatya Veda advocates the careful use of sunlight and natural building materials so that being inside, one feels connected with the environment outside. Thus the roof of laminated timber beams and boarding is in pine while the sprung floor is a beautiful pale maple. The infill walls of the main hall are rammed earth, a traditional 'breathing wall' technology, and are rendered on the inside with clay plaster.

The Centre shows what can be achieved by a coherent and motivated local community. One enterprising parent saw the need to provide sport for local young people in north Skelmersdale, including pupils of the Maharishi School, the successful private school attended by his own children.

The idea attracted support from local companies and a grant from the Institute for Sports Sponsorship. A fund-raising team went on to secure further commercial sponsorship, mostly in the form of materials in kind, from generous local and national suppliers of building materials. As the project gained momentum it became a joint venture between Maharishi School and Maharishi Foundation who provided the land and car park.

Over the last two years the building has received nearly £100,000 in donations from over 150 individuals including parents and user groups. This has been supplemented by many building and other professionals in the form of discounted fees or charges plus a certain amount of voluntary work 'on site'.

The event is a celebration of all this support and a way of saying 'thank-you' to our many donors, whether they have given time, money or expertise (or all three).

In October 2000, the British Urban Regeneration Association gave an award to the Maharishi Foundation in Skelmersdale for best practice in urban regeneration. BURA recognised the Foundation's 20-year success in improving the quality of life in the area through its holistic and inclusive approach to building communities. An important element of this approach is the provision of some infrastructure in a area of the town which is predominantly new housing estates.

Facilities include a community centre, a school, a business centre and natural healthcare provision. The Woodley Park Centre supplements these through its dual role: during school hours to provide a venue for sports and art at the Maharishi School, and out of school hours to address the local need for cultural activities and sport, especially for young people.