MEMBERS of a community centre are hoping to extend its reach to an extra 500 homes and make it more accessible to people in the area.

Florence Park Community Association, based at the Florence Park Community Centre in Cornwallis Road, Oxford, wants to include residents from areas between Rhymers Lane and Between Towns Road.

At present the centre can be used by people living between Church Cowley Road and Cornwallis Road.

A number of activities are run at the centre including yoga, craft sessions and a social club.

The community association will meet on March 24 to discuss the proposals and, if adopted, it would see the group become a ‘charitable incorporated organisation’.

This means it would be set up to have trustees and its trustees would not be personally liable for any financial costs if it was to become bankrupt, or go into debt.

Vice-chairwoman of the community association, Fiona Mullins, said it was hoped the centre would be able to increase the activities it had on offer.

She said: “At the moment there are about 750 homes in our area, but by including all these extra houses it means more people can get involved with what is going on.

“We really want to open it up to people as we are trying to put on a lot more activities for residents. In the last year there has been so much more going on at the centre and we want people to know about that.”

This year marks the 80th year since the estate was built and the centre is hoping it can build on the momentum of the anniversary to capture people’s interest.

Ms Mullins added: “It was the grandparents of the people who live in this area who helped build the community centre all those years ago, so if their relatives wanted to get more involved it would be fantastic.

“And we would always want more people to come forward to be trustees. It would be fantastic if people wanted to come along to the meeting and get involved. We are always happy for new people to join.

“There is so much on offer here and with the anniversary this year it really does give us a reason to show off what we have here.”