RESIDENTS in Redditch are being asked to help save a much loved community centre.

An appeal has been launched to raise £5,000 to help REACH CIC deliver much needed local services for the town, and keep the centre open.

REACH (Redditch East Aspiring Communities Hub) CIC grew out of the Winning Winyates Project that was funded by Worcestershire County Council from 2010 to 2015.

Like many projects across the country the funding ended in June 2015.

Those responsible decided to take a leap of faith and set up REACH CIC.

A spokesman said: "In other words, we stayed put.

"The opportunities far outweighed the risks and REACH enabled us to grow our work in a way that the communities in the East of Redditch wanted.

"We can now work without an agenda decided elsewhere, we concentrate on community development, training, health and well-being and community-based facilities."

They added: "We opened The Space, a community centre situated in Winyates. Our first year was supported by our local county councillors, Redditch Partnership and a range of grants that helped us to move forward.

"Unfortunately, there are extremely limited grants available for existing projects, so we need help to continue our good work."

A fundraising page set up at the end of last year has only managed to raise £220.

Organisers are now appealing for help and asking local residents to show their support.

In 2017 the Advertiser reported that REACH had to close a vital service which helped the most vulnerable families in Redditch due to cuts.

It closed The Link office in Winyates Centre.

At the time, Liz Williams, from REACH CIC, said: “It is very sad but we have been unable to secure any funding for the centre to allow us to keep our free services to the most hard-pressed communities in Redditch."

Funding cuts across the public sector have meant an ever-increasing reliance on organisations such as REACH CIC to fill the gaps left in provision.

For more information or to donate, click here.