The new Reigate Community Centre has been recognised as a building of excellence within the South-east.

For volunteer centre managers Ian Hunt and Lindsay Thompson, Tim Hyde of Hystar Construction, construction site manager Stuart Fraser, and the Reverend Clive McKie of Reigate Methodist Church, the main sponsors of the centre, celebrated the centre winning an award in the Local Authority Building Control Building Excellence Awards.

The building, situated behind Reigate Methodist Church, was awarded Highly Commended in the Best Community Building category, beaten narrowly only by the new Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Pembury.

Nominated by Reigate and Banstead Borough Council’s building control department, the centre was short-listed along with 91 other projects out of 32,000 within the region.

The awards are made for outstanding achievement and the creation of excellent buildings in England and Wales.

The Highly Commended award was presented at a ceremony at the Effingham Park Hotel, Copthorne.

Rev McKie said: “We are absolutely delighted with this.

“It is a credit to our brilliant construction company, Reigate-based Hystar Construction, and the dedicated members of our development team, who have all worked together to achieve an outstanding level of craftsmanship.”

The award comes as the community centre passes its first anniversary.

It was officially opened in July last year and, in the past 12 months, an estimated 20,000 adults and 8,000 children, other than church and affiliated groups, have used the building for various clubs and activities.

It was the second award to be given to the community centre – the first being a civic award presented last autumn by The Reigate Society for the centre's contribution to the local area.

The project took ten years of planning and fundraising by members of Reigate Methodist Church before the £1.5 million building could be opened.

With its distinctive circular and arched windows, the centre is managed and staffed by volunteers and includes state-of-the-art meeting rooms, a sports and social hall, and The Hub café in the foyer, which now opens all day on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and on Saturday mornings.

Tim Hyde, director of Hystar Construction, said: “We are very proud that we have been able to give the Reigate community a good building and one that will last for a very long time.”

Meanwhile, fundraising events continue to be held to pay off the outstanding debt of £100,000.

For more information about these or the activities taking place at the Reigate Community Centre, visit the website: www.reigatecommunitycentre.org.uk