BOLTON'S community groups are set to get a new £950,000 town centre home this summer.

The sale of Chatsworth House in Bold Street has been completed, with the 15-year-old building set to become a base for hundreds of voluntary organisations.

Builders are expected to begin work on refurbishment before the end of April.

The building was bought for £750,000 with a further £200,000 being spent on refurbishment, legal and professional fees.

Ray Collett, vice-chairman of the Trinity Centre partnership, said: "We hope to be up and running around July or August and we are absolutely delighted!"

With basic facilities already in place, most of the work will involve the partitioning of the building's open-plan floors.

The Trinity Centre will provide an immediate home for the Bolton Council for Voluntary Service (CVS), which in touch with 1,200 local groups and will manage the centre. Other groups will include Bolton Patients' Council which helps mental health patients.

The centre will have training rooms, interview rooms, small units for individual groups, and a rent-a-desk schemes.

Advice on matters such as financing will be available, and organisations will be able to share their experiences.

The partnership has attracted support from Bolton Council and from individuals. Funding, which will also help with running costs, has included £550,00 from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, £250,000 from the European Regional Development Fund, £300,000 from the Big Lottery and £50,000 from the Sir James and Lady Scott Trust Fund.

The Rev Phil Mason, centre chairman, said: "It is easy to talk about partnerships but this is a shining example of a lot of commitment and drive for a tremendous, positive outcome."

Karen Minnit, Bolton CVS chief officer, said: "The centre will make a fundamental change in the way people view voluntary and community groups. It provides a handsome headquarters and a new and welcoming home for them."

For information on the centre, contact Karen on 01204-396011 or email karen@boltoncvs.org.uk.