REPAIRS to a community centre have been carried out to improve the facility for users.

After being saved from closure by the fundraising efforts of a team of volunteers a few years ago, the building and facilities at Dipton Jubilee Centre have been gradually brought up to scratch to ensure that it remains fit for use by local people and groups.

The roof of the Front Street building was recently replaced with the help of a grant from Durham County Council, but having had significant water ingress over an extended period, the interior ceiling was in still in a very poor state.

But now, two grants worth a total £5,200 from the Banks Group, which runs the nearby opencast coalmine have enabled Dipton Community Association to replace the damaged ceiling.

Malfunctioning strip lighting has been replaced by a new energy efficient LED lighting system as part of the project, while additional insulation has been added above the ceiling to prevent heat being lost and to help keep energy costs down.

Karen Dodds, of Dipton Community Association, said: “The centre was on the verge of closing down and it took a huge community effort to save it. It’s like being in a totally different place, and the feedback we’ve had from user groups since the work was finished has been fantastic.”