Help needed to save Wake House in Bourne

Trustees of a thriving community centre are calling on the public to help secure its future.

Wake House in Bourne is home to 70 different organisations but has a growing list of renovation work which needs to be done to keep it running.

Bourne Arts and Community Trust took charge of the building in North Street two years ago and has invested £49,000 so far but another £300,000 is needed.

Secretary Greg Cejer is turning to users of the centre to help out following a series of failed grant applications.

He said: “We host 70 different groups with up to 1,000 users each month. Lots of those groups can only exist because we provide meeting facilities at such a reasonable cost.

“If everyone who used the building could donate even just £1 a month, it would make a huge difference.”

Mr Cejer has kick-started the donations by personally pledging £20 a month to the project.

He said: “We need to work with the local community to raise this money. We believe we are investing in the town.”

During the last two years the trust has focussed on internal repairs including a new boiler. The next priorities are to restore the front of the Grade II listed building, replace windows, fix the leaky guttering and secure structural problems which were caused when an internal wall was removed.

The trustees have applied for a £100,000 loan to pay for the work which they hope to start in the spring.

A local building firm which specialises in listed buildings has been lined up to undertake the work once the money is in place.

Groups which use the facilities included the Carers Sitter Service, Citizens Advice Bureau, Dementia Support Group and Parents and Carers Support Group. Social clubs including dance, knitting, yoga and the U3A also meet there.

Bourne United Charities bought Wake House from South Kesteven District Council for £130,000 and granted a long lease to Bourne Arts and Community Trust.

Anyone who can support the project can contact the trustees on wakehouse@talktalk.net