Funding of over £120,000 for new Cornwall community centre

A Cornwall community center has received more than £120,000 in funding to build a new building.

St Tudy Playing Field Trust, in Bodmin, received £120,648 from the Government’s Leveling Up Fund.

Its trustees have also secured a grant from Cornwall Council’s Community Infrastructure Tax fund of £100,000 to go towards the new hub, project leaders said.

Louis Gardner, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for the economy, said the hub would “bring generations together to enjoy facilities that will promote education, leisure, sport and health for the benefit of all”.

The building, which will cost £450,000, will be built on St Tudy’s playing fields, project leaders said.

It will provide a variety of sports and leisure, expand St Tudy’s pre-school facilities and provide a community hall for St Tudy’s Primary School for children to have lunch, they added.

They also said it would have purpose-built pre-school classrooms and a staff room with kitchen, toilet and changing facilities.

Karen Whalley, who led the bid, said: “It will improve the facilities in the village, providing long-term security and a permanent base for a range of organisations.”

Money was also raised through fundraising events, a significant donation from a local landowner, including additional land and other donations and funding.

Work has begun on the building and it was hoped to be open by spring 2025, project leaders said.