Trust asks council for £8,000 to refurbish centre

GORING and District Community Centre Trust has asked for a donation to refurbish its hub building.

Trustee John Boler has applied to Goring Parish Council for a grant of £8,000 towards upgrading and refurbishing the fixtures and fittings at the property in Station Road.

The trust plans to start by upgrading the toilet and is waiting for approval from Oxfordshire County Council, which owns the building. Other improvements include
redecorating and some renewal of furniture and projection facilities.

Mr Boler said: “We recognise that some of the facilities at the centre need to be brought up to date. The most pressing one is the lavatories but we have a plan to improve the facilities generally.”

The trust has opened a fund inviting donations and grants from local institutions and authorities to bring in upwards of £45,000.

Mr Boler said: “The fund has already received a very generous starter donation of more than £10,000 from a third party but the building and some of its fixtures and fittings are in need of long-term updating and refurbishment.

“We have to make sure that the facilities we offer are as up to date as possible and that we attract enough people to use the facilities who will pay the hiring fee.”

The trust has had to carry out more repairs than expected over the last year, including the replacement of the centre’s upstairs lavatory and repairs due to damage caused by a water leak. The cooker has also been replaced.

Mr Boler added: “We’ve had to come up with more than our fair share of unexpected repairs in the last 12 months but we had a modest reserve to help.”

The proposal was heard at an extra full council meeting on December 18. The decision will be made by the finance committee, which meets this month. For more information and to donate, email jboler@btinternet.com