A FUNDRAISING target has been reached to give a lifeline for a well-used village community centre.

The future of the independently-run centre, in Ouston, near Chester-le-Street, was in doubt after major leaks developed in the roof, last November.

Ouston Parish Council stepped in to help initially patch up the problems with a £5,000 donation for emergency repairs.

But, that only provided a short-term stay of execution, and it is only now, after a follow-up fundraising drive throughout 2015, that the overall target of £26,800 has been reached.

It will help to pay for more long-lasting repairs to the roof as well as to replace damaged fittings and fixtures, ensuring the future of the centre.

Centre manager Tom Casling said it has been very much a “community effort”, with major donations from the local neighbourhood budgets of local Durham County Council members Colin Carr and Alison Batey, as well as further help from the parish council.

But the last “brick in the wall” came from nearby Birtley Rotary Club, which donated the final £500 to reach the target.

Mr Casling said: “It wasn’t just a small leak that developed, but down the full length of the roof and it damaged the electrics.

“We were told that it wouldn’t have seen Christmas without the emergency work.

“Since then the community has rallied round and with the help of our local council members we’ve got over the line.

“It’s been quite a feat and we have a lot of people to thank.

“We’ve been running for 42 years as an independently-run centre, and we have 52 community groups, and about 2,000 people, coming through the doors each month.

“Completing the fundraising means more people and more groups can come in,” said Mr Casling, who added that the next funding target is for a community gym at the Iris Crescent complex.

Builders are expected on site by the end of the month, with the repairs expected to be completed within a further four weeks.

Rotary stalwart Ray Palmer, who lives in Ouston, said the club was glad to step in to provide the missing £500 once he put it to fellow members.

He said it was an example of the type of support the club can offer to worthy local causes.

Mr Palmer added that the club welcomes fresh local blood, with potential new members welcome to weekly informal meal meetings, at the Ravensworth Arms, in Lamesley, near Birtley, each Wednesday, from 6.30pm.