A £140,000 phase of renovation has been completed at GL11 Community Hub as part of ongong work to improve the vital community centre.

The beloved Cam and Dursley facility has been upgraded with a new reception area and energy saving measures.

It provides staff and volunteers with a better place to work and welcome in visitors to use its much-needed services. The hub is working hard to help vulnerable members of the community through the cost-of-living crisis.

As well as groups and classes it runs a subsidised café which runs a weekly Cost of Living Support Day every Wednesday 10am to 7pm serving £1 hot food. It also hosts food banks and warm banks and has opened a community pantry where for a £4 membership people can get over £15 worth of food shopping.

Indigo Redfern, the hub's CEO, recently accepted an MBE in the New Year Honours List which recognised its service to the local community, especially its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The latest improvements cost £140,810 in total and were made possible thanks to multiple donations including money from Stroud District Council and a £30,000 grant from Enovert Community Trust, which provides funding to community projects through the Landfill Communities Fund.

Angela Haymonds, trust manager of Enovert Community Trust, said, "It was a pleasure to be able to support this project; it's clear to see how much the GL11 Community Hub means to the local community in Cam and Dursley.

"We are delighted to have helped make this centre more cost effective to run and more welcoming to those who need to use it."

Paul Rainger, communications and fundraising manager for the GL11 Community Hub, said: "I'd like to thank all the generous funders for their grants, which meant we could make the much-needed refurbishments to the community centre.

"The energy efficiency investments mean we can continue to host warm banks, and provide activities and low-cost hot meals to local people in need, whilst also cutting our energy bills at the centre."

Other work already completed as part of the renovations include the installation of better insulation throughout the building, zonal radiator controls and insulated and sealed doors.

It is still fundraising for the next phase of work to overhaul the central heating system which is expected to cost more than £100,000.

To support the hub visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gl11-hub4