MEMBERS of the community gathered last week to celebrate the launch of a new and improved activity centre for people with disabilities.

Enham Trust formally opened the new central hub for its Choices Activities Group last Friday.

Residents, staff and users of the service turned out in force to mark the occasion. Also in attendance was the Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire, Nigel Atkinson, who unveiled a commemorative plaque before cutting the cake alongside users of the activity centre.

The Choices Activity Group has been running for a number of years, but it was previously based in an adjacent warehouse deemed unfit for purpose.

Now, the service operates from its newly refurbished central hub, enabling users to integrate with the wider Enham community.

Khalid Aziz, chairman of Enham Trust, said: “It’s a huge improvement on what we had before, and I hope more and more people will be able to take advantage of what we have here.”

The facility provides a safe and support environment for people to learn skills, make friends and be helped on their pathway to more independent living.

Speaking of the facility’s benefits, Lord-Leiutentant Nigel Atkinson said: “It helps improves users’ health and wellbeing. Enormously importantly in improves confidence. And of course the most important one is to be able to give you skills as you start living independently.”

He added: “Every time I have come here, I have been hugely impressed by the families, the facility, the staff – but most of all the smiles on the faces of people who use this facility.”