RESIDENTS have celebrated taking on responsibility for their community centre.

The Pentre Gwyn Community Centre on Abenbury Road is now being fully run by the residents association which has been gearing up to take full responsibility for the building and its facilities over several years.

It was saved from being shut permanently when in 2014, Wrexham Council’s executive board agreed to hive off community centres to save money.

The centres were either taken on by community councils or other community groups, or closed completely, but those staying open were still managed by Wrexham Council for a few years, for the transition to take place.

That arrangement has since come to an end and it is now up to community groups to run their own centres.

A relaunch event has been held to mark the handover from Wrexham Council to Pentre Gwyn Residents Association, and was well attended with both Wrexham Assembly Member Lesley Griffiths and MP Ian Lucas paying a visit.

Since the transfer began the centre has undergone a full refurb, including the installation of new disabled facilities.

Whitegate County Councillor Brian Cameron, a member of Pentre Gwyn Residents Association who has been instrumental in keeping the centre open and the refurb, said it was a proud day.

"The day went fantastically well, but the hard work starts now", he said.

"Pentre Gwyn residents association has worked extremely hard in the last couple of years to get to this point but we also have a large number of people to thank, not least residents association chair Phil Owen and Les Stamp.

"I'd like to thank Caia Park Community Council for the financial support, particularly the chairman Cllr Malcolm King and clerk Mike Morris, and our AM Lesley Griffiths and MP Ian Lucas for their support.

"I would also like to thank the National Trust for their help with the youth club and the work they have done on the community garden which is brilliant.

"Quite a few people came to the event, more than we expected.

"We're there now, and hopefully, fingers crossed, we can keep it going by keeping up the hard work."