A BUSY community hub in Greenock will be able to offer a warm welcome to people throughout the winter thanks to a £8,700 lottery windfall.

The committee of Grieve Road Community Hall are delighted with the timely cash boost.

It means they can extend their Thursday drop-in into the winter months.

Greenock Telegraph:

Ward councillor Tommy McVey, said: "The hall here is going from strength to strength. The committee is building relationships with the community council, councillors and they have also had support from the community learning and development team too.

"It's fantastic to see this developing, it's the best community activity in this area for many years, with people working together for the benefit of everyone."

Paul Travers, vice-chair of Greenock Southwest Community Council and Grieve Road Hall, said: "The lottery funding means that we can extend our warm hands drop-in into the winter.

"Last week we had 94 people at the drop-in and we are hoping to get Morton in the Community along between 3 and 4pm to give the kids something to do.

"We are also in discussions with Inverclyde Council to offer a playscheme this summer."

Michelle Docherty, treasurer of Grieve Road Community Hall, says the the grant is fantastic for the future of the facility.

She told the Tele: "We need the money to keep the hall running. People enjoy coming to the hall, the numbers have grown. It gets older people out of the house and school kids have been coming along for noodles and hot dogs after school."

One of the regulars, Elizabeth Renfrew, 75, said: "It's great here. I live just up the road, it's so handy and everyone makes you feel so welcome.

"They put on a lovely spread, every second week you get a hot meal and the staff are so nice. We couldn't ask for anything more."