WORK to create a new community centre and focal point for the people of Malmesbury has been inspected by charity members and councillors from Wiltshire Council.

Wiltshire Council councillors, who helped to fund the Riverside Community Centre in Gloucester Road, inspected the progress of the build on Wednesday, November 16 and hope that the centre along with the skate park, arts and crafts room and meeting rooms will be open in the new year.

"I am delighted that our vision and commitment to invest to provide a community hub in Malmesbury is now a reality," Coun John Thomson, cabinet member for communities, campuses and area boards said. "It has taken a real collaborative effort with local people to get to this stage and when it opens I am sure the new centre will quickly become a firm favourite within in the local community."

Local volunteers, who formed the charity Friends of Riverside and championed the campaign for the centre, will be running the centre and encourage community engagement and wellbeing.

Kim Power, chair of Friends of Riverside, said: "Friends of Riverside are thrilled that Wiltshire Council are giving us the opportunity to run this new community centre for the Malmesbury Area. We have been working in partnership for some time as part of the campus programme and it’s great to see the refurbishment happening.

"We want local people to have a reasonably priced venue to enjoy all those activities and projects which bring people together and support community life, especially in our rural part of Wiltshire."