The fight to save the Tudorville Youth Centre from being closed has taken another important step forward.
At a special meeting, following a public meeting, l4 volunteers stepped forward to form a new management committee for the Tudorville Community Association.
It is hoped that the support shown by residents will persuade owners Herefordshire Council to transfer the building for a token sum to the community association.
Top of the agenda for the new management committee is to draw up a business plan.
This will be submitted to the Herefordshire Council to demonstrate that, while the building may no longer be required by the county’s youth services department ,it does have a future as a locally-run community hall available for use by all age groups.
Backers include Ross Sports and Leisure Federation, Antony Lowther of AJ Lowther and Son Ltd, Councillor John Edwards, mayor of Ross, Hereford Voluntary Action group and Michelle Kings of accountants Hale Jackson Knight. Antony Lowther has agreed to serve as vice chairman of the Tudorville and District Community Centre. Colin Gray, chairman of the Tudorville Community Association, has led the fight to save the centre from being closed. He noted that a Facebook site had created a huge amount of interest involving younger members of the community.
He said: “It’s fantastic to see so much support and enthusiasm for this campaign to once again make the centre the heart of the local community.
“People understand that the building isn’t going to be changed overnight but there is now hope that the centre could be made, with continued local support, into something they could be proud of locally.”
He added: “It makes good economic sense for the Herefordshire Council to save the cost of maintaining the centre by transferring it to an enthusiastic voluntary group working for the benefit of the community.”
