MEMBERS of the community have celebrated the opening of a new centre worth more than £500,000 - a large chunk of which was funded through community activities.

Staff, volunteers and children of the new Reef Youth and Community Centre at Colehill unveiled the brand new two-storey building following years of hard work and some much-needed comradery.

Residents have been making cakes, riding bikes, taking part in fashion shows and running charity stalls over the last 10 years all in a bid to bring in enough cash to convert the former caretaker's cottage into a suitable space for them all.

The centre now boasts a large sports hall downstairs, a cafe bistro big enough for 60 people upstairs and beautiful views across the woodland.

There's even a soft play area for the little ones.

Co-director of the Colehill and Wimborne Youth and Community Centre charity, Susan Davies, said: "We decided to make it a community open day and we invited everyone who has been involved in the many forms of fundraising.

"We thought it was really nice to have this and it was fantastic. We wanted them to see what we have been fundraising for during the last 10 years and it has been lovely for them seeing all this which we have achieved together as a community."

The charity even encouraged residents to take part in their 'buy a roof tile' scheme and managed to make enough money they could have re-tiled the roof ten times, Ms Davies said.

"We have had a lot of support from the Colehill Parish Council, Wimborne Town Council, from East Dorset District Council and from Dorset County Council," she added.

"We have been very, very fortunate to have quite a lot of grants and donations from various other charitable trusts."

Those organisations will be able to sneak a peek into the project at a more formal opening in October where they will see the new disabled access system, commercial kitchen and other developments that will make the centre cater far better for its growing number of youth club members and community users.