Alcester Town Council were successful in their application for £26,624.13 to refurbish the kitchen at the Eric Payne Centre.

The Eric Payne Centre is a well-used community centre deeply embedded in the life of Alcester. It is regularly used by senior groups, youth organisations, statutory bodies, voluntary groups and local families, and the kitchen is central to these services. Feedback from users has highlighted the importance of maintaining and upgrading the kitchen to sustain these bookings and enable more events to take place at the centre.

The current kitchen was installed second-hand following the closure of Alcester Hospital in 2009. With limited storage and outdated equipment, the Town Council applied to the Community Grant Scheme to bring the facilities up-to-date and improve the offer to the various groups and residents that use the building.

Vanessa Lowe, Town Clerk for Alcester Town Council said:

"Alcester Town Council is delighted that our application to Stratford-on-Avon District Council's Community Grant Scheme has been successful, securing funding to refurbish the kitchen next to the Hertford Room at the Eric Payne Community Centre.

The kitchen is a vital part of the centre's day-to-day operation, supporting everything from community events and meetings to social activities and celebrations. The refurbishment will provide improved, modern facilities that better meet the needs of users and help strengthen the role of the centre as a focal point for community life in Alcester.

The Town Council would like to thank Stratford-on-Avon District Council for its support in helping us deliver this important improvement for the benefit of the Alcester community."

The works have been ongoing over the summer and the project is nearly finished. Get checking back for more details.