MEMBERS of 40 Degreez youth centre next to Farnham Leisure Centre in Dogflud Way celebrated the opening of its newly refurbished Milky Way Hall, along with many distinguished guests.

Ten years ago the centre, which offers a huge array of services for children and young adults seven days a week, opened as 40 Degreez and since then members have slowly been getting round to freshening up the building as a whole. This is phrase two out of three.

Phase one included the redesign and extension of the kitchen, replacement of old units to increase storage space, the installation of new appliances and new work surfaces.

Phase two, the refurbishment of the Milky Way Hall, involved the replacement of the old single glazed window units in the hall with tinted double glazed aluminium surrounded units.

The project’s main goal is to reduce energy costs, reduce noise to the first floor rooms from the hall and to increase rental use. It has taken the centre four years to raise the funding to complete these works.

Janet Maines, who joined the centre’s board of trustees soon after its launch and has served as chairman for much of its existence, said: “It’s a big project, I would like thank our sponsors for having done this and the Low Carbon Workspace organisation who helped to fund it in the first space.

“As well as the Farnham Lions and Surrey Community Foundation and then we had some support from two of the local county councillors with their local allocations, so thank you very much.

“I was out for action for a few months and the others just got on with it, those people include John Goodman, who hates being thanked, he’s our project manager and he’s seen this whole process through, together with Eve Baker.

“Between them they have done the timetable and got everything done. I would also like to thank Mike, Richard and Peter.”

Still to come, phrase three, includes the installation of a suspended ceiling with insulation above, clad walls with heat-retaining and noise-reduction cladding, a new LED lighting system and smoke detectors and clad walls of two upstairs rooms adjoining the hall.

The Mayor of Farnham, John Ward, cut the ribbon to officially open the new hall and said: “It’s great to come here and do this because it’s just a fantastic place. It’s got a wonderfully imaginative name, really smart.

“Just looking down the list, there is youth support services, clubs for young people with special educational needs, pre school and adult and youth counselling, I mean it’s fantastic what goes on here.

“It’s probably not unique in the country but it’s something that’s unique to this area. It’s getting support from such a wide number of people, which is pointing out that it really is a valued service.”