A POPULAR community hub has received a £27,000 donation from a grant-giving charity to allow for necessary improvements.

St. Nicholas Church Centre in Corfe Mullen received the donation from the Talbot Village Trust, enabling the centre to carry out its Jubilee Refurbishment Project.

The project involves essential improvement work that hasn’t been in place since the centre was built in 1996.

The main enhancements included new carpets throughout the main communal areas and a full redecoration of the main entrance. Other more subtle changes have been introduced to make the centre more accessible and environmentally friendly, such as motion-activated LED lights and sensor-operated taps in the toilets.

Reverend Jane Burgess said: “The generous contribution to the project from Talbot Village Trust has ensured that a well-used community resource can be updated to be fit for purpose for the next 25 years.”

The church centre is a community hub for various local groups and clubs in the area, typically hosting around 1,000 people per week.

Rev. Burgess added: “The overall project spend is likely to exceed £150,000 and the donation from Talbot Village Trust has enabled us to engage other donors and make a lasting long-term impact for the next generation of users.”

Some elements of the project are yet to be implemented, such as upgrades to the heating system and the installation of bi-fold doors to level access to a new patio area, which will commence in December.

Talbot Village Trust chair Nicholas Ashley-Cooper said: “The St. Nicholas Church Centre is a central hub for the community and is a place of great importance for many within the village. We’re so pleased to have assisted in making such a long overdue regeneration project happen, as it will make a huge difference to those that rely on the centre to connect with others.”