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A new garden space has been opened in the heart of the Grimsbury community.

Banbury town mayor Mayor Fiaz Ahmed officially unveiled the garden, alongside volunteers at the Grimsbury Community Centre, and staff from Cherwell District Council and Age UK.

The centre on Burchester Place has been the centre of the Grimsbury community for over 30 years and hosts a number of activities from Monday to Friday each week.

Volunteers at the centre have spent the past few weeks clearing up the garden and refurbishing it after successfully applying for funding from the district council.

Banbury Town Mayor Fiaz Ahmed cuts the ribbon to officially open the Grimsbury Community Centre's new garden.

Gloria Clark has been a key member of the volunteer team at the centre for over 15 years. She said: “We are just a small community centre run by around seven volunteers.

"We applied for the grant from the council because we wanted to create a nice space where people could come and use the garden.

"It will be a good space for people who struggle with their mental health as well as a nice place for people to generally just meet up.”

The centre has struggled in recent years due to the Covid pandemic and not being able to host activities and events, but is now back up and running with a full schedule of activities and events.

Some of the centre's volunteer team alongside the mayor, from left to right, Karen Beales, Gloria Clark, Fiaz Ahmed and Cicely Lewis.

Gloria added: “It’s taken two years to get the centre built back up to where it was, but it's now starting to come together.

"Different organisations like Age UK and the council have all helped to build the centre back up by holding regular activities here or with funding.

"It’s important for us to keep the centre going so that younger people have somewhere to go, and in the future, they will keep it going.”

Banbury Town Mayor Fiaz Ahmed praised the centre’s volunteers for their longstanding commitment to the community.

Members of the Grimsbury community that gathered to mark the launch of the new garden.

He said: “It’s very important to get the community together. In the past, Grimsbury has been in the spotlight for the wrong reasons but this centre has a very positive energy.

"The amount of events that take place here from Monday to Friday is incredible; not many places in Banbury can match that.

"The centre is a huge success and I wish for more people to come along and support Grimsbury Community Centre.”

For more information visit https://chmac71.wixsite.com/grimsbury-community/about1-c1x1t

Banbury mayor cuts ribbon to launch new Grimsbury Community Centre garden