8:00am Sunday 3rd January 2010
By Emma Cruces
CAMPAIGNERS behind plans for a £500,000 community centre in Huncoat have vowed not to give up, despite a number of setbacks.
Councillors and community volunteers have been working for a year to bring a a centre to the area since Hyndburn Council gave them a site in Yorkshire Street.
The cause was dealt a huge blow when it was revealed that none of the money raised by the area’s new waste transfer station would be donated towards the community centre.
Now a public meeting has been arranged by campaigners who hope to encourage more volunteers to come on board and plan a host of funding bids, such contacting the Big Lottery fund.
Many community groups have been without a place to meet ever since the former community centre at the Methodist Church building in Marshall Avenue was closed for safety reasons.
Huncoat ward councillor Paul Gott said it was vital they had as much support as possible at the meeting this month and said that those behind the bid felt positive about raising the cash.
He said: “We really need more volunteers and people who are willing to help us fund-raise because the facility is desperately needed, by all age groups in Huncoat.
“We’re researching what funding we can apply for and we are just not going to give up. It probably will be jigsaw funding with different grants from here and there.
“We’ve already had the biggest donation so far in the form of the land given to us by Hyndburn Borough Council as that works out as £850,000.
“The remainder will come to us, we just have to be positive.”
County councillor Graham Jones, who said he was making enquiries to LCC’s cabinet about donations, said: “It is really disappointing that funding is still not forthcoming for this.
“It is a much-needed facility and we should do all we can to see it become a reality.”
The public meeting takes place on Tuesday January 12 at 7.30pm at Huncoat Youth Project, Within Grove.
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