A COMMUNITY open day with lots of free activities marked the official opening of a new adult learning centre in north Hampshire.

Residents flocked to The Hurst Community College Leisure and Learning Centre in Baughurst earlier this month to take advantage of a variety of free activities on offer to celebrate a newly completed purpose-built facility which has been added to the existing centre.

A bouncy castle, crafts, healthy cooking – and sampling – and messy play was on offer for pre-school children, as well as sport and fitness-related activities for older visitors.

An official opening ceremony took place in the evening when George Allen, head of adult and community learning at Hampshire County Council, cut a ceremonial ribbon.

The building, in Brimpton Road, which was finished over the summer, is a large room which can be subdivided into two classrooms and will have IT facilities.

The room will be used for a range of classes, such as healthy living and craft courses and IT training, as well as family activities.

Bob Horne, manager of the centre, which is a not-for-profit organisation, said: “We are excited because it really finishes off our sports and leisure centre.

“We want to reach more people in the community and the room is going to be used in a very flexible way. It’s going to be used for people of all ages to come and learn and have fun learning.”

Speaking about the open day, he added: “It was a come-and-try day and lots of people came along. We leaflet-dropped at houses from Bramley to Kingsclere.”

The initiative came from the Skills Funding Agency, formerly the Learning and Skills Council – a non-departmental public body which works to improve the skills of England’s young people and adults and which approached Hampshire County Council.

The project cost about £713,000, of which the Agency contributed £544,000. The remaining funds came from Hampshire County Council.

More information about classes is available by calling the centre on 01189 811611, or online at hurst.hants.sch.uk/hurstcentre.