Great Barr community centre upgraded

A COMMUNITY centre has had a makeover thanks to a grant from an environmental trust.

The Collingwood Centre, in Collingwood Drive received more than £7,000 from Ibstock Cory Environmental Trust (ICET) to revamp its run-down hall.

The hall has been used daily for the past 12 years and was in need of a lick of paint and a few repair jobs. Over the years its curtains had faded, chairs were tattered and paint had faded and peeled.

With the grant the Great Barr venue now has plush red velvet curtains, new matching chairs and paintwork that harks back to its 1930s heyday.

The centre holds a tea dance every Thursday. Doris Bellhouse, aged 97, remembers when such dances were all the rage 70 years ago.

She said: "They've done a wonderful job of the hall and it's just like it always was. I could be back there right now – the Glenn Miller sound, the laughter, dancing the night away, it was a joy and still is."

Community Centre Manager, Sharon Froggatt knew that work on the venue at the heart of Great Barr needed to be done. Within a month the hall has been transformed and Sharon was delighted with the outcome.

"It's just gorgeous," she said. "We're so grateful to ICET for its generous funding, without which the hall wouldn't look as stunning as it does today."

Angela Haymonds, secretary of ICET, said: "Once again, it has been our pleasure to help out at The Collingwood Centre.

"Along with the kitchen refurbishment and counselling suite, ICET was delighted to fund the refurbishment of the main hall. It is a delight to hear Doris reminisce about tea dances of the past and I'm sure she will enjoy many more in the future at Collingwood."