Thurnby: Village hub opens after 10 years of planning

An unused building has been transformed into a café where visitors can also access outreach projects

A £1.5m community hub has opened in a Leicestershire village after 10 years of planning and fundraising.

An unused building, in Manor Park, Thurnby, has been transformed into a café, where visitors can also access outreach projects and services.

Cafe Fifty Five has been set up by St Luke's Church using grants and donations.

The church said profits from the café would also support community activities for all ages.

Rob Miles, Rector of St Luke's Church, said the space would be used for different community projects

The café, which was previously a sports pavilion and then a building used by the local parish council, opened on Tuesday - with a grand opening and ribbon cutting due to take place next month.

Rob Miles, Rector of St Luke's Church, said: "It's been a big project with lots of fundraising.

"It's been quite a long, slow process, and a couple of times we thought we can't do this.

"Now we feel we've reached the finishing line, but we're also just at the starting line.

"At the moment we've opened as a café. That's the starting point and the café is the attraction, the place to come and gather.

"But the reason we've built an extension on to this building is so we've got rooms that can be used for different community projects."

Manager Josh Shirtcliffe said he had been "blown away" by the support of the community

Manager Josh Shirtcliffe said: "I've just been so blown away by the support of the community - both in the words they've said about the hub and about how excited they are to have this in the area, but also literally - people getting stuck in and getting their hands dirty, painting the walls and doing what they can to help us out.

"It's really special."