Grand reopening of centre

Officials this week celebrated with a grand reopening of the Knaresborough Friendship and Leisure Centre.

Guests from all over the area gathered to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Centre which helps the town’s elderly residents.

And they thanked The George A Moore Foundation for their £50,000 grant which enabled the Centre to have an extensive refurbishment.

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Chairman of Trustees for the Centre, John Moore said: “Invited guests included Mayor Coun Christine Willoughby, who cut the ribbon allowing entry into the bright modern kitchen ably introduced by our Town Crier Roger Hewitt.

“Descendants of the Frazer family were there and a Director of The George A Moore Foundation attended to see how the Centre had been improved.

“Gone was the leaking roof, rotten windows and a 1970’s kitchen.”

The Market Place-based Centre is staffed by volunteers and Mr Moore gave special thanks to all those who had made the renovation a real success.

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“The Centre is now back up and running and keen to offer a pleasant place to rest and have a cup of tea for the town’s elderly residents,” he said.

Mr Moore explained: “We started in 1950 as a group offering help to older people in Knaresborough.

“In 1960 a local philanthropist, Mr Frederick Frazer was so impressed by the groups’ activity that he decided to give them a cafe building in the centre of the Market Place to operate from.

“At the same time the group was turned into an official Charity and two years ago, we needed significant monies for repairs to our building.”

He added: “We applied to the George A Moore foundation for help and they said they would.”

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