A CORNERSTONE of the Latchford community has issued a plea for help.

St Margaret’s Latchford Community Hub, on Lindley Avenue, is asking for donations to help it to continue running during the coronavirus pandemic.

It is aiming to raise a total of £5,000 to support its activities.

Community centre coordinator Michelle Hayes says she ‘cannot believe the amount of good that has come out of people’ thus far during the fundraising campaign – but is also warning that if the centre were to close, the impact on the community would be ‘massive’.

She said: “We’ve had people come in going through certain circumstances in their private lives, and they’ve said to me that we have saved their lives – because if they hadn’t had that contact and made those friends in the centre, things could have been very different.

The hub has already seen a boost to its future after being awarded a grant of around £9,000 from the National Lottery.

But Michelle is still concerned about the charity’s future – with monthly overheads of £2,000 before staff costs and a loss of room hire income is taken into account.

This is the first time in 30 years that the centre has closed its doors to the usual weekly stream of 1,500 people who visit.

But many of its services are still operating – community cafe regulars have now moved to Zoom and homemade brews, as well as online board game sessions.

And six community food donation points have been set up around Latchford.

To donate, click here.