Major revamp for Rotherham community centre

The £53,000 project to refresh the Unity Centre, on St Leonards Road, is due to begin on Friday.(14)

The main focus of the work, which is due to be completed by early summer, will be installing hardwood floors in the building’s biggest rooms, allowing new activities such as dance and exercise classes.

The centre’s lobby will also be redecorated, while windows and disabled toilets will also be improved.

Opened in 2000, the Unity Centre is used throughout the week for a variety of free community activities and private functions.

These include IT classes, arts and crafts groups, local history groups, support groups and social activities for older people.

Azizzum Akhtar, general manager of the Unity Centre Trust, said: “Having a warm, well-maintained and safe building is essential to the delivery of a full programme of community activities.

“This work will do this and will mean that the centre will continue to flourish.”

Most of the money is coming from The Veolia Environmental Trust, which awarded a grant of £45,000 through the Landfill Communities Fund.

Executive director Paul Taylor said: “We support community and environmental projects across England and Wales and it is great to hear about the start of the work on refurbish this community centre.

“I look forward to hearing about this important project's progress over the coming months.”