A GROUP of neighbours in Deane are leading the way in the battle to bring the community together.

Members of the Deane Neighbourhood Residents Association have been working round the clock to transform an old portable cabin donated by Bolton Council into a new community room for the group which has been running for the past 12 years.

Church hall

The group, which covers an area with around 400 homes, previously paid £20 a time for meetings at a local church hall.

But now with their new base, they are looking forward to new beginnings and a higher profile in the area.

Last month a new committee was voted in. All local residents, chairman Pauline Openshaw, treasurer Brenda Thorpe, Maureen Crook, secretary and committee members Lorraine Hughes, John Crook and Cliff Thorpe, have been leading the way to pull residents together.

The group was awarded the cabin in Emblem Street in February and has since been renovating, decorating and finding equipment to go in it.

Members have also received help from the 3Ds Partnership. They hope to be officially open by Easter.

Treasurer Brenda Thorpe said: "This new building should herald a new start for us and we are really excited about what will happen.

"We want the whole community - young and old - to benefit from the facility and everyone should feel they are able to come along. We are donating our time to improve the community and raise the profile of the area."

The group have been raising money to furnish and equip the small cabin through sales and events.

They have also appealed to members of the public to donate any unwanted goods that could be useful such as a hot water boiler.

Running

Brenda added: "Once up and running we want to organise different things for different groups.

"Pensioners will benefit from bingo afternoons and evenings and we've even contacted teenagers and they have said they would like special evening.

"They want us to buy a computer console, but I think that might have to wait until we have a bit more money."

For more information on the residents' association contact Brenda Thorpe on 433659 or Maureen Crook on 397746.

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