Volunteers put something back into Rishton People’s Centre (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Volunteers put something back into Rishton People’s Centre

5:00pm Thursday 16th August 2012 in Rishton By Emma Cruces, Reporter

Volunteers put something back into Rishton People’s Centre

A CASH windfall and free labour from volunteers has given a communty centre a new lease of life.

The long-derelict upstairs floor of the People’s Centre in Rishton is being transformed, thanks to a £15,000 grant from the Lancashire Drug and Alcohol Action Team.

Recovering and recovered addicts have also put over one hundred hours of free labour to transform it into a community resource.

The upper floor, which was once a residential flat, has been changed into a central open community space, with four smaller rooms and a toilet facilities.

The scheme has been managed by the Great Harwood and Rishton Rotary Club, who say they are delighted at the extra space for community groups in Rishton.

As well as providing a meeting room and event space for groups in the area, Lancashire Drug and Alcohol Action team will also provide counselling for recovered addicts at the site, providing a more local service to Rishthon.

Les Hardy, president of the Rotary Club, also chairs the commissioning group for LDAAAT.

He said that many of the volunteers who took part have been recovered for up to 10 years and were keen to give something back.

He said: “The volunteers from LDAAT have just really pitched in and been fantastic.

“There has been some really heavy duty and dirty work needed doing, like pulling down celilings. Things are now ready for the professionals to do the rewiring and plumbing and then we can start on the decorating.

“This upper floor has been derelict for going on 10 years and we keen to make sure we did not lose this really valuable community space.

“The lower floor of the People’s Centre is so well used, it will be in great demand.”

The new upstairs rooms are expected to be open by the end of September.