VOLUNTEERS who now run Wellington Youth Centre are holding an open day on Saturday to celebrate the refurbishment of the main hall.

The date has been picked to coincide with the World Wellington Boot Throwing Championship taking place next door at Court Fields School. The open day runs from 10am-2pm and everyone is invited to attend.

Cllr Andrew Govier, of Somerset County Council, who chairs the group, said: “We are delighted that the hall has been transformed over the last few months and we want to show the improvements to local people.

“We are very keen for the centre to be used by other groups and now it has been refurbished we want to show off its potential. We hope that people attending the boot-throwing championship will look in.

“We would particularly like to show local parents the facility to encourage them to introduce their children to the centre. It also provides an opportunity for people who might be interested in working with young people to meet youth workers and find out more about volunteering positions.”

Work on the centre was paid for by grants from Awards for All and through Section 106 monies from local housing developments.

Individuals on the Community Payback scheme, run by the probation service, did the painting. The scheme arranges for offenders to carry out community activities to repay society for the crimes they have committed.

Cllr Govier added: “We were delighted with the quality of the work carried out. As a voluntary group the costs of running the centre have to be met from donations and to get this work done for just the cost of the materials has helped us greatly.

“We are very grateful to Taunton Deane Borough Council and Awards for All for providing the funding to allow us to get new flooring installed.”

The new laminate flooring was installed by local company C & C Carpets and will make the space more flexible.

Cllr Govier said: “We were very grateful for the excellent advice we received from James at C & C. He came to look at the existing floor and suggested the laminate would be hardwearing and easy to clean. They carried out the work to a very high standard and kept closure of the centre to a minimum.”

The local Rotary Club and the Inner Wheel, who are keen supporters of the centre and who provide members of the management committee, will be serving refreshments and greeting visitors on the day.

Cllr Govier added: “We are really grateful to Wellington Rotary Club for its ongoing support of the centre and its work. We were delighted that Rotary member David Major submitted a successful bid to Awards for All and this was exceptionably helpful in getting the work done.

“We also have to thank Paul Brunsch for all his efforts in overseeing the refurbishments and his on-going maintenance at the centre.

“Members of the Rotary Club were involved in opening of the centre and the legacy of those forward-thinking individuals is being supported by the current Rotarians.”