FRESHBROOK Community Centre and Roughmoor Social Hall have been bolstered by the news that the managing committee will continue, after fears of folding.

The committee, which formed to adopt control of the ailing centre, before taking on responsibility for Roughmoor as well, needed to recruit a new chair and secretary at their annual general meeting on Wednesday, or face handing control of the centres back to the council.

The group has also been handed a funding boost of £4,500 from the Swindon Council locality fund, to go towards running costs and replacing the aging furniture.

Stephanie Bird, outgoing chairwoman of the Freshbrook Community Centre committee, said there had been a great response from the community.

“We had lots of new faces turn up and we now have a full committee once again,” she said. “We now have people who stepped into three positions, all from the Freshbrook area. We are back to full strength with a new chair, along with secretary, treasurer and health and safety officer. The role of health and safety officer is one we have not had before, but it has been available for anybody to step into.

“TMore than 30 people turned up to the meeting, and the only thing on the agenda during the meeting was to fill these vacant positions.

“The chair has then got a chance to hand over from the old chair and treasurer. They have arranged another meeting for the beginning of August, by which point they will have had a chance to settle in.”

Coun Mick Bray (Con, Lydiard and Freshbrook), put forward the applications for the funding from the locality fund.

“One part of the grant was for the replacement of tables and chairs which have been in dire need of repair,” he said.

“There is also an administration grant. They used some of their money to back up Roughmoor Social Hall when they took that on, so they deserved to get a little something back.

“I know the work they have done, and it is wonderrful that the work of the original committee will be carried on. It is great because they have come on in great strides, and it would be desperate if they could not find additional people now.

“The people that use the centre know it is right to support it on the administration side of things.

“What worried many people years ago was the problem the original hall had with the charity commissioners, after there was a licence to sell alcohol in the bar there.

“They lost their charity status after that, but they are now back and are quite forceful about what they want to achieve.

“They have tidied the place up and it is looking wonderful.

“I’m very happy the committee will continue because it could have been a very different outcome.”