Volunteers at Frodsham Community Centre are delighted to have been awarded a £1,000 grant which will transform its ‘tired’ lounge into a venue for local performers.

More than 4.1million votes were cast for entries of the Aviva Community Fund – which offers support and funding to inspirational community projects – and the Fluin Lane facility’s bid was one of the lucky finalists, having received 1,618 votes.

Frodsham Community Centre is run by registered charity Frodsham Community Association (FCA) and receives no external funding – it relies on room lettings, bar takings and income from events.

In April, the Chronicle featured FCA’s appeal to locals to volunteer and ‘use or lose’ the centre.

Now the funding from Aviva will help to create LiveLounge15, which will become a flexible performance space to showcase local talent, as well as the stylish and comfortable home of long-standing community groups.

Frodsham Community Centre on Fluin Lane
Frodsham Community Centre on Fluin Lane

FCA vice-chair Sue Thomson explained that a recent survey by centre users revealed that ‘despite the efforts of willing volunteers in painting walls and mending curtains, the fabric of the room is old, tired and rather sad’.

“For the continued viability of the centre, new initiatives must be encouraged and flexible, adaptable facilities provided.”

The community hub is home to more than 50 groups – such as line dancing, model car racing, natural history and calligraphy – which use it on a weekly or monthly basis.

The Frodsham Guitar Club currently uses the lounge for regular live Gypsy Jazz nights and intends to continue supporting the improvements and changes through fundraising evening Music, Magic and More on August 22.

Chair of FCA Roger Williams added: “We are enormously grateful to local residents and past Frodsham residents who took the time to vote.

“We want the centre to continue to be here for all the events and functions that it’s provided over the last 45 years, that can only happen with the kind of support that’s been demonstrated by the votes.”

For more information about the centre, click here or email info@frodcomm.org.uk to join the mailing list.