MORE than £7,500 has been donated to a charity to pay for a new heating system at a community centre.

The £7,700 donation to the Lytchett Minster and Upton Beacon Community Association (LUBCA) will be used at Upton Community Centre in Poole Road.

Previously the centre had dealt with highly outdated heating, with parts unavailable and difficult to obtain. Electric fan heaters were used in the interim which were inadequate, forcing community members to endure very cold conditions.

The grant from Talbot Village Trust ensured the community centre had access to a much more efficient, electric heating system.

Upton Community Centre is home to Ladybirds Playschool, which operates during term time. During the pandemic, children enrolled at the school had to wear coats, gloves and hats inside the centre while learning to stay warm.

Nicholas Ashley-Cooper, chairman of Talbot Village Trust, said: “Warmth is a basic necessity for absolutely everyone, it is not something people should ever need to be without, so it was imperative to us that we had to help. The new heating system has already greatly benefitted so many people within Upton’s community, which we are delighted by and hope it continues to do so for many years to come.”

LUBCA is run by volunteers that manage Upton Community Centre and look after its maintenance, ensuring its facilities are in full working order. The centre hosts a multitude of groups regularly such as dance and other exercise lessons, fundraising events and art classes. LUBCA also offers free use of the centre for local events 12 times per year, such as shows and local productions.

For more information about Upton Community Centre visit www.uptoncommunitycentredorset.co.uk.