The manager of a Keighley community centre has urged local people not to take the 19-year-old facility for granted.

Ghulam Rabani (pictutred), manager of the Sangat Centre, in Marlborough Street, said the gloomy economic climate made the support offered by his staff and volunteers even more vital.

He did not highlight any immediate threat to the centre’s funding, but he emphasised that the facility could not survive on thin air – noting that its total costs came to £250,000 last year.

“We have more than 20 staff on our payroll, some do a few hours, some are full-time,” he said. “Our money comes from various different projects and goes and up and down each year, depending on how successful we are at attracting external funding.”