“We lose every service if we lose this centre”

The Cottingley Community Centre in Leeds sees an average of 600 people walk through its doors every week.

Inside the hub, Cottingley residents can find youth groups, a GP surgery, and a food bank, alongside other community-focused services.

However, as the Cottingley Community Centre has been placed up for sale, its future is now under threat.

That’s why locals are fighting to buy it back.

Jennifer Dawson, Mark Parish, Adele Bosworth, Gary Robinson, and Lorraine Drewery, are all part of the campaign effort to buy Cottingley Community Centre | Steve Riding

placeholder image — Jennifer Dawson, Mark Parish, Adele Bosworth, Gary Robinson, and Lorraine Drewery, are all part of the campaign effort to buy Cottingley Community Centre | Steve Riding

The Cottingley Collective are a group of volunteers who aim to raise £450,000 to buy the centre and ensure it continues the services which are invaluable to the local community.

Christine Smart helped set up the project after working at the centre for the past 12 years.

“Everything that happens on this estate happens in this building. There is no other building that does the same things,” Christine told the Yorkshire Evening Post.

“Although it sounds dramatic, we lose every service if we lose the centre. We lose all of it.”

The Cottingley Collective aim to raise £450k by November to buy the centre | Google

So far, the Cottingley Collective has raised around £9,000 through an online fundraiser combined with local initiatives, including youth jumble sales, and events organised by the Friends of Cottingley Community Centre.

Younger members of the Cottingley community centre have held jumble sales to help raise funds | Cottingley Collective

Christine has said the donations so far are “amazing” but now the group needs large companies and organisations to get behind the cause.

Christine said: “Now we need outside help - we can’t do it on our own.

“We’re not asking for a handout, we’re just asking for help so that we can help ourselves.”

The Cottingley Community Centre is currently charity-owned and managed by a board of Trustees.

Charity law means that the building must be sold on an open market at full price, which means the Cottingley Collective need to raise £450,000 by November.

An average of 600 people use the Cottingley Community Centre every week | Cottingley Collective

According to Christine, the plan to turn the Cottingley Community Centre into a community-owned building is supported by people throughout the Cottingley Hall Estate.

“Every group that uses the centre is completely behind us - they’ve all been exceptionally supportive,” Christine said.

“I can’t walk from my house to the centre without someone stopping me and asking me ‘do we need anything?’”

The Cottingley Community Centre is used as a free shop and food bank | Cottingley Collective

Though £450,000 is an "intimidating figure”, Christine said that she is “extremely confident” they can make it possible.

Christine said: “(The Cottingley Community Centre) covers anything anybody would need and we don’t want that to disappear.

“The only barrier to this happening is the money because everything else is there - the want, the need, the spirit.”

If you can support the Cottingley Collective, visit their online fundraiser or get in touch with the Friends of Cottingley Community Centre through Facebook.