THE boss of an award-winning community centre is challenging health and council bosses to tap into its facilities.

Branchton Community Centre manager Willie Wilson believes that more can be done in Inverclyde to offer opportunities to people who need them.

His centre is one of the busiest of its kind in the district, with 150 children and 60 families taking advantage of a packed programme of events.

But Willie believes community halls are being under-utilised generally, and he is pleased that to have opened talks with local authority officials to develop his as a hub.

Centre manager Willie Wilson said: “We have all these children coming here, and their families.

“There is so much more that can be done – the health board could bring roadshows and the like.

“We need to look at bringing services to the community – the days of all services running from the Municipal Buildings and the health centre have gone.

“There are just so many opportunities that we are not even tapping into yet. We are here and we want to be a community hub.

“We are saying to the health board, council, charities and organisations: ‘we are here’.

“We’re the busiest centre in Inverclyde but we can do so much more.”

Branchton recently won the CVS Inverclyde Voluntary Organisation of the Year.

One of their biggest success stories is a well-regarded youth programme and they also offer a social enterprise initiative, with adults, young people and volunteers getting together to make products which are sold on and the money ploughed back into the community.

Willie added: “We have had to double our staff because we have so many young people coming here.”

To find out more about Branchton Community Centre, contact them on 638481.