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Historic building in Cornwall acquired for new crafts centre

The Create CIC group said new community art studios and exhibition space are all planned for a former day centre for older people

The founders of Create CIC with members of the Camborne Community Centre Trust on the steps of the Donald Thomas Centre(Image: Create CIC)

A historic building in the Cornish town of Cambourne has been acquired with plans to transform it into a new arts and crafts centre.

The Donald Thomas Centre, a grade II-listed Greek Revival building in the town centre, has been purchased by the Create CIC group using funds drawn from the £23.7m awarded through the government’s Town Deal for Camborne.

No specific financial details for the purchase and subsequent refurbishment of the facility were provided, but the Town Deal funding awarded to Create CIC was partially match-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Community Led Local Development (CLLD) programme to renovate the building.

The oldest part of the building, which was gifted to the town by local businessman and philanthropist Donald Thomas in the 1960s, was built in 1839 as a Methodist chapel. In the 1970s it was taken over by the Camborne Community Centre Trust and was opened by Prince Charles as a day centre for older people, which it remained until five years ago.

A new creative co-working space, community crafts library, and exhibition space will open in April 2023, with the new ceramics, glass and jewellery studios following later in the year and in 2024.

Create CIC director Jane Smith said: “We fell in love with this building the first time we came here. Now we want to write its next chapter and transform it into a centre of modern-day learning for the people of Camborne.”

Jean Charman, chair of the Camborne Community Centre Trust, added: “Donald Thomas would be so proud to see it being restored and preserved for future generations of Camborne residents. As trustees of the Community Centre, we’re delighted to see such an important part of our town’s history and heritage in safe hands, with wonderful work being done here.

“The building dates from the early 1800s and, because of that, needs a lot of work. If Create CIC hadn’t come along, it would have fallen into disrepair as we didn’t have the money to save it.”