A REFURBISHED and extended community centre in Oakley has been officially opened by the Bishop of Winchester.

The Right Rev Michael Scott-Joynt dedicated the revamped St Leonard’s Centre, in Rectory Road, Oakley, and unveiled a plaque at the end of a special thanksgiving service attended by about 180 people last Sunday.

After being given a tour of the centre, redesigned by John Thatcher to have new meeting rooms, a prayer room, kitchen facilities and a parish office, the bishop told The Gazette: “It’s a lovely light building. It’s clearly going to be put to very good use.

“It’s a great privilege to be with the church here this morning and to dedicate it. It is a wonderful opportunity for the church in Oakley and the people of Oakley.”

Building work to refurbish the hall was completed in about 10 months and followed a drive to raise the £700,000 cost of the scheme. Of that, £600,000 was raised in just six months.

Churchwarden Nigel Pierce said that most of the money came from donations and a “restructuring of assets”, with support grants from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Hampshire County Council.

“The congregation have provided this extensive new vibrant lovely facility for the village,” he said. “God has provided.”

The vicar of St Leonard’s when the project began, the Rev Brian Nicholson, who has since retired, returned to see the new building open and said that it exceeded his expectations.

He said: “It’s much larger and much nicer than I ever dreamed it could be.”

Dan Holden, of Avon Road, said that his youth group had already used the new centre.

The 16-year-old said: “It’s good because there are more facilities for us to meet up, and having a nicer place makes it more encouraging for younger people to come.”