A CAMPAIGN to secure the future of a dales community centre could collapse unless more volunteers come forward.

Members of the Witham Hall Appeal committee are calling for more people to support the scheme and help raise the £5m needed to refurbish and extend the 19th Century grade II-listed building.

So far response to the appeal, which is supported by The Northern Echo, has been disappointing, and the committee is in desperate need of both funding and volunteers.

The appeal recently received a big bonus with the news that the initiative had been awarded a £45,000 grant from the rural Development Programme's Market Towns Initiative.

The award will help pay for phase two of the redevelopment project at the Witham Hall, in Barnard Castle, which involves carrying out a design study of the building.

Members of the committee have also carried out a public consultation with local residents, and the response to the plans is said to have been encouraging.

But Elizabeth Conran, of the appeal committee, said the scheme could fail unless more volunteers stepped forward.

She said: "We need as much help as possible at what is a very crucial stage in the fundraising push, because at the moment things are moving very slowly and we desperately need some more drive and support if we are to succeed.

"So far, support has been slow in coming, and as well as money to pay for everything we also need volunteers to help raise those funds.

"We are taking it one stage at a time in terms of raising the funds, but to reach the target we really need volunteers who will give up their time to raise funds."

The scheme involves creating a public library, a cinema, an area for art exhibitions and a local history display area.

If the scheme goes according to plan, the Witham Hall refurbishment scheme will be completed by December 2004.

More details about the appeal are available by visiting the website at www.teesdalehalls.co.uk/barnard.htm, or by calling Witham Hall on (01833) 631107