A VILLAGE has moved to within touching distance of getting a new community centre after the project received a lottery windfall.

Plans to build a new community hub for Burnhope, near Lanchester, has received a £529,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund Reaching Communities programme.

The community centre’s management committee say they are now fast approaching their £720,000 target to develop the new building after five years of work.

The project already has support from several funding bodies, including the Mid-Durham Area Action Partnership, County Councillors Ossie Johnson and Ritchie Young, as well as trusts including Garfield Weston, Bernard Sunley, Sir James Knott and the County Durham Community Foundation.

Kenny Barron, chairman of Burnhope Community Centre Committee, said; “This is fantastic news. We have been working hard for several years on something that the whole village has been telling us is much needed and we are now within touching distance.

“We have over 30 volunteers who have come forward to be part of running and looking after a new centre.

“We would like to focus support and usage on our younger and older residents, as well as providing much-needed support and advice to those residents who are unemployed or in need of training”.

Organisers say the area has limited community facilities and the new centre has the backing of a number of bodies who are keen to use the facilities including the police, health service, Age UK County Durham, Leisureworks and Durham County Council.