A dedicated team of volunteers are in the process of transforming a youth centre that ‘looked like a prison’ into a thriving community hub in Hazlemere.

The Hazlemere Youth Centre, in Rose Avenue, was barely used last year but now has classes, events and sessions every day of the week, with busy youth club nights.

Chairman Andy Rose said the rundown building looked like a ‘prison with a leaky roof’ just months ago, but decided to try and turn the centre around for the good of the community.

He said: “I have lived in Hazlemere for seven years and I didn’t even know the centre existed, I never saw the youth centre open until I got involved with it last September.

“It looked like a prison in here, all the windows were barred it was covered in brown mesh, no one knew it was even open. It was horrible. One of our first big jobs was the window and doors because it looked dreadful.”

Since the end of July, the management committee have spend around £20,000 fitting new windows and doors, installing new security and fire systems and painting all the rooms.

The leaky tin roof is currently being replaced and Andy is looking forward to raising more money to get rid of the hard concrete floor in the main hall; laying a sprung wooden floor instead.

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Picture by ARM Images.

He said: “Our roof was leaking so it was getting pretty desperate. We would find leaks here there and everywhere so it will be great when the roof work is finished.

“The whole centre is changing. Before last September there wasn’t really a youth club in Hazlemere, but now we have two youth nights a week with 50 to 60 kids on a Monday and last week we had 75 to 80 kids on a Friday night.

“It’s busy but good fun. There was nothing like this here before so it shows that it was needed in the community.”

While the refurbishment is yet to be completed, Andy believes the centre will become a thriving hub for the entire community.

He said: “It is so vibrant. It has gone from nothing to this and it’s great.

“For a building that was used probably an hour a week, to go to being used seven days a week is incredible. It has come a long way in a year.

“We have a great group of volunteers who help and we are very lucky to be a part of this community, they have taken us into their hearts. We want the community to know that this building does exist, there is lots going on every day and it’s for everyone, regardless of what age you are.”

Visit www.make-a-donation.org/charity/hazlemere-youth-centre to make a donation.