Jersey volunteer helps save community centre

A Jersey volunteer helped save a community centre after it struggled with finances after the Covid pandemic.

St Mary's Community Centre made £4,000 in 2021 but has operating costs of £60,000 per year.

Laura Hefford joined the charity as its treasurer and found new ways to raise revenue.

She worked to set up new events and collaborated with other groups in the island to make sure the operating budget became balanced.

Ms Hefford has been nominated for the BBC Radio Jersey Make a Difference Awards because of her dedication.

She said the improvements at the centre were down to a "massive team effort".

She said: "We have a couple of full-time and non-profit residents and we have to be reasonable landlord. They are massive assets to our community so we have to keep this place open."

She is now looking to raise the centre's profile so more people realise it has facilities for the wider community to use, like tennis courts and a skate ramp.

Jules Cabot is the manager of the centre and said Ms Hefford had gone above and beyond, and "gave up so much of her time and energy to turn things around".

"She is a pocket rocket," she said.

"She's tireless, dedicated and the fact she does this all for free - we'd be struggling without her," Ms Cabot added.

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