New facilities open at Hartlepool community centre

A complete refurbishment and rearrangement has enabled the addition of an accessible toilet and baby change.

The cost of almost £19,000 was met from the community association’s reserves.

Cutting the ribbon at the official opening ceremony was Dorothy Clark, an MBE holder and a trustee of the charity who, until a recent illness, had served for many years as chairperson.

The centre is used by regular groups including flower arranging, mature movers, line dancing, mother and toddler, carpet bowls, local authority youth club, exercise class and sequence dancing.

And the community association holds fundraising events and theatrical performances.

Since 2013, when the association took over the lease of the centre it had previously managed on behalf of Hartlepool Borough Council, nearly £110,000 has been spent restoring the building which was built in 1878 as the village school.

Dorothy said: “We knew when we took on the lease we had a huge task ahead of us to bring the building back from the ruin.

“It was a heavy responsibility to take on but we felt the support of the whole community was behind us and people have been marvellous.

“The building is just too important to be lost.

“Thanks to everyone pulling together and some generous grants we have been able to ensure the future of the building much quicker than we dreamed possible.”

Anyone interested in hiring the hall should contact the booking secretary on 07434 517225 or email [email protected]