THOUSANDS of pounds have been raised to keep a youth centre on Portland open.

The fight to save the Islanders Club youth centre on Portland has been ongoing after community hub faced closure late last year.

Members of the community have rallied to raise much-needed funds to keep the centre running and conduct urgent repairs.

Including grants, the club has raised just under £8,000.

The money will go towards refurbishing the the Islanders Youth and Community Centre building on East Weare Road, which is in dire need of repairs.

It has been a fixture on the isle since 1974, providing a safe and enjoyable space for kids to spend their time.

Nowadays it is the only space of its kind available to residents of Underhill.

In January this year, the Echo spoke to the volunteers running the site and the community about the fight to keep it open.

Sue Beacock, the chairperson for Islanders, said: "It is an everyday fight to try and get funds and get the place on a good road. We are getting there but it is going to take time."

The club has used some of the money raised to fix the accessible toilets, costing almost £4,000.

This has meant that the club could now start a relaxing over-50s group on Thursdays.

Also the leaky roof over the sports hall has been fixed and new multi-sport lines are going to be painted on the site.

The club has also been able to start a multi-sports fun session for 11-16 year olds.

However despite the hard work, much needs doing.

A recent Electrical Installation Condition Report found that the site will require another £5,000 in repairs, including new lights in the sports hall and the fuse board.

Sue added: "It is improving all the time. We have a great team, and a couple of new volunteers, and we are talking to a few companies including The Hayloft who have raised just under £1,000 for us. The community has come through for us but it is slow and steady."

In December of last year, the club almost closed for good when a fire door was found in urgent need of repairs and the team did not have the funds to fix it.

The club still needs repairs and refurbishment in several areas, including the gutters, which have rusted through in places.

Find out more about the club by searching Islanders Youth and Community Centre on Facebook or visiting: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091910391972