A STALWART of Glusburn Institute has been honoured for his sterling work.

Allan Clough was made honorary president of the institute's management committee at its annual general meeting.

Mr Clough, 78, from Cross Hills, has sweated blood and tears to keep the 19th century building a vital centre for the community.

And he has certainly seen some changes: from the time when the institute was a thriving centre of activity, through years of decline and disuse to the present period when the building is on the brink of being transformed into one of three centres of excellence for the arts in Craven.

In 2000 he was honoured with the MBE for services to the community, largely because of his work with the institute.

Mr Clough said: "My whole family have been involved with the institute, before, during and after the war. It has been an achievement to keep it going, because it was in a shocking state at one time."

He said that the institute, which was built for the community in 1882 by a local mill owner, actually comprised five buildings, including the Baptist Church and swimming baths.

It was originally built for the religious education and social needs of Glusburn and surrounding districts and housed one of the first libraries installed by West Riding County Council.

At the height of its popularity, every room was used for evening classes and entertainment but after the library moved and the evening classes ended, its use declined.

The building has been used as a hostel for Maltese Girls and as a mill canteen, but in the 1970s with the declining state of its fabric, it looked as though demolition was inevitable.

Mr Clough, not being someone who would let that happen, was one of the founder members of the management committee set up to manage and preserve the institute.

And after three decades of decision-making Mr Clough can now take a back seat while keeping a firm eye over the working of the present committee.

Treasurer Peter Seward said: "We thought it was about time we showed a bit of recognition to one of our founding fathers.

"We are highly respectful of the work Allan has done over the years and decades he has been involved with the building.

"An honorary president would be the figurehead over and above the committee, and be a focus for the media and everyone else. It is a small token of recognition of what he has done to keep this building viable and vital."

Mr Clough was presented with two pieces of tableware to mark the occasion.

Accepting the honour, Mr Clough said: "I do thank you for this. It is certainly a surprise and a pleasure to receive it."

He told the members that he had been coming to the institute since he was a young child, when it was used for women's meetings.

"I have only performed here once, and I was terror-stricken!" he said. "I decided that I could do a little bit better making a picture frame for other people to perform in.

"In the late seventies, this building was falling apart, we set to and worked through it and that's what we have today.

"It's been a pleasure to do it - most of it! Yes, I have fallen out with people but I have fallen back in with them again.

"I followed in my father's footsteps. I used to be involved with his fancy schemes and I thought, I can do better than that, but I didn't tell him that!"