North Deal Community Centre on the town's former gas works site off Cannon Street should be opening in mid-summer.

The land beside Golf Road is being transformed by developers, who are also building homes and a doctors' surgery.

Now the North Deal Community Partnership is appealing for volunteers to help run the community centre, which has a new project manager and project officer.

NDCP chairman Sue Beer said: "The centre will be a welcoming and flexible modern space with modern benefits like under-floor heating and sprung floors in the main halls.

"This means we will be able to cater for a great many different groups, which could not have been achieved without the co-operation of Mild-Valley Developers.

"They have been really understood our needs as a community organisation and the new centre has been designed to minimise running costs to reflect this."

Neil Batey, the NDCP project manager, said: "We would really like to hear from any local organisations or groups who would like to find out more about the spaces that will be available for rent".

He can be contacted at 07580 409029 or by email at ndcpneil@gmail.com

New project officer Emily Barnes would also like to hear from potential volunteers, groups and organisations who might like to use the centre and help with its development. Email her on ndcpemily@btinternet.com or you can phone her on 07985 623190.

* For full story about the community centre, plus pictures, buy the East Kent Mercury, January 13.