KATES Hill residents are being encouraged to make use of a newly refurbished community centre.

Roseland House on Wheatcroft Grove now boasts full disabled access, a garden room, a fully equipped kitchen and more space to host activities and groups.

The Dudley Council run community hub is available for use seven days a week and is a welcome boost for the area, according to St Thomas's ward councillor and Mayor of Dudley, Steve Waltho.

He said as the much-loved St Thomas’s Community Network will be closing later this year due to increasing running costs and funding for courses drying up, Roseland House would be "a valuable community asset in an area of significant deprivation".

Cllr Waltho, who is chairman of the trustees at the network, added: "We are looking to at least salvage some of our local activities from the network and just across the road in a small but excellent facility in Green Park that St Thomas's Network manage and will focus on utilising in any future plans.

"The opening of Roseland House is very timely in that we now have an excellent flexible option just over the road for any appropriate activities or meetings that can't be facilitated at Green Park."

For more information on the centre, or to make a booking, call Carolyn Burgess at Dudley Council on 01384 818359