'If this centre closes, people will feel the effects'

"It makes a huge difference when people see your potential, not your limitations."

Hamdi Ahmed, who has cerebral palsy, first came to the St Matthews Community Centre, on Malabar Road in Leicester, in 2015.

The 38-year-old said the community she found there changed her life forever, but the city council has announced plans to close the current site and move the library at the site to a smaller venue.

A petition to save the centre now has more than 1,800 signatures.

As well as a library, the centre has a sports ground and community space which has been described by users as a "lifeline" to families living in one of the East Midlands' most deprived neighbourhoods.

However following the discovery of unsafe concrete in the building, the council said it was moving the library, with no plans decided for the current building.

While the authority said all services would be relocated, Ahmed was worried about what the changes could mean for people like her.

"I have faced many obstacles as a woman with a physical disability," she said.

"Accessing the personal care support I need to live independently and pursue my creative passions has been especially challenging.

"At one point, I was left at a difficult crossroads - with very limited personal care hours and no employment opportunities, it felt like many doors were closing.

"St Matthew's supported me through these challenges, offering encouragement and connection when I needed it most."

Since first using the centre, Ahmed has got married, had a baby, graduated from university and started her own business, which offers virtual assistance with content creation.

She said her plans to help other people would be affected if there was no communal space to use.

"If St Matthew's Centre closes, the ripple effects will be felt by people who already walk through doors when there are too few to begin with," she said.

A council spokesperson said the centre was not safe for future use due to the poor condition the building was in.

"Following feedback from local residents, a decision has been taken to relocate St Matthews Library and services to St Matthews Children's, Young People and Family Centre on the same estate," they added.

"It's not yet been determined what will happen to the site of the current centre.

"The city council will work in partnership with community groups to support them to relocate."

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