Work has started on the Community Centre at Newlyn Trinity Methodist Church, after more than seven years of fund raising. The three-quarters-of-a-million pound project will convert the former Newlyn Trinity Sunday School into a multi-purpose community centre.

The minister, the Rev Julyan Drew, said this week that he was very pleased that all the funding was finally in place.

"This is the result of sustained hard work and commitment from many people. Over the next months we will be able to watch all that hard work come to fruition in the shape of a new centre for the use of the whole community.

"Trinity Church is grateful to all our funders large and small, local and further afield, for their marvellous generosity and to the Newlyn Fish Industry Forum for its support. Fundraising continues as we seek to make this a facility for all Newlyn to be proud of.

"We are working with a number of partner organisations to ensure that when it opens the new centre will make a real and positive difference to the lives of Newlyn residents of all ages."

The project, part of the Newlyn regeneration scheme, will create a main multi-use community hall, meeting rooms, kitchen and music room, all arranged so that several different organisations can use the building at the same time.

Funding has come from many sources, including the Big Lottery, Penwith Council, Jobcentre Plus Employment Projects Fund, Neighbourhood Renewal, the Methodist Church and more than £200,000 - the largest amount - through local fundraising.

The project is due to be completed in the autumn next year.

Architects for the project are Poynton Bradbury Wynter Cole of St Ives and the contractor is John Nicholls Builders.

Anyone wishing to know more about the plans for the centre and the facilities it will contain can contact Mr Drew on 01736 364707.

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