A centre for women and children can now open facilities for men, thanks to a £3,250 grant.

Keighley Women's Centre has refurbished the basement at the centre in Skipton Road, and a rear entrance means it can been accessed without using the main entrance. "We can now segregate this from the rest of the house and allow mixed groups to rent the room," says assistant co-ordinator Annette Dent. "Although we are a centre essentially for women-only, we did plan to have an area accessible to men at certain times."

The Garden Room - it has patio doors to the garden - was funded by Lloyds Bank and opened on Monday. The room is to be used as a creche, conference facility, classroom and general meeting area.

Lloyds' Catherine Wilkinson says: "This is an excellent resource for the community. The creche is one of the most important and it's been lovely to meet some of the children that will benefit."

Mrs Dent adds: "Every room we have is multi-purposed. It has to be because we don't get funding from Bradford council and we have to make our own way. The place has to pay for itself."

Financial pressure will increase from next March when a Keighley Single Regeneration Budget grant to pay two part-time wages ceases. "It means we will have to secure new funding from next April and we are in the process now of looking for help," Mrs Dent says.

Between 100 and 200 people use the centre every month for a variety of services.

It is open three days a week - Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

Staff provide help and advice ranging from health to benefits and new services were planned for the future.

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