Bosses of a community club in Bradford are warning that they might have to reduce services and redirect limited funding to repair leaky roofs because they cannot afford to do both.

It costs £100,000 a year to run the Sedbergh Youth and Community Centre which is funded entirely by subscriptions, donations and income generated by rent.

But staff at the centre fear that the dire state of the leaky roofs will force the Yorkshire Club for Young People to move out, cutting a significant amount of funding in an environment where getting more cash is already scarce.

Staff at the club managed to find £20,000 to repair part of the roof, but are dreading winter because the majority of the roof is still wrecked and their only solution is to place numerous buckets around the building because spending on the roof means less cash for services.

Lucy Carter, a project co-ordinator at the club in Huddersfield Road, Odsal, Bradford, which runs a weekly youth group, a parent and toddler group and a Young at Heart group for older people, said: “We fear losing the people who have the offices because that rent helps us run the club.

“If it gets any worse and we have to repair it, we might lose services. We might have to close some parts if the roof gets worse all over the centre. We can only fix a bit at a time.

“The main part of the building is used by the club for young people and by the Model Railway Club and Mencap. Last winter was terrible. At one point we had buckets all over to catch all the rain fall.”

Funding by the Council was cut in 1999, but the Sedbergh Centre has managed to find other funding streams year by year with the staff funded by a local finance company.

Miss Carter said: “We need approximately £100,000 each year to run the centre and donations vary from year to year, but we have received funding for three consecutive years from a local personal finance company which has covered staff salaries – two part-time – and we have received funds to put towards our Young at Heart over-50s group.”

Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe said that the club had a long history and was worthy of support and he appealed to Bradford Council to help with repairs.

If you can help contact the club on (01274) 679843.