IT WAS a day to remember at Malvern Cube community centre when it received its first Royal visit.
The Duke of Gloucester Richard Alexander Walter George made an unforgettable trip to the popular Albert Road North venue yesterday (Tuesday) to receive a guided tour.
His Royal Highness and his party of civic dignitaries visited the meeting rooms before making their way to the extended exercise hall where exercise instructor Ann Oldfield was conducting a dance class.
Table tennis was on the cards in the theatre room next door with His Royal Highness quick to ask ‘Can I have a go?’ before indulging in a doubles game with other attendees.
Following his visit to the gardens, he made his way back inside where he enjoyed a glass of champagne before signing the visitors book.
He said: “Thank you for inviting me down to this interesting venue. What was once a grotty building has now been improved and attracts the community from all directions.
“I wish Malvern Cube every bit of luck in their bid to keep improving the building so it can have a lot of uses for local people.”
Run by the Malvern Youth and Community Trust since May 2012, the centre was given a new lease of life when Worcestershire County Council handed over the keys after agreeing to lease it to the voluntary trust.
And over the last four years, Malvern Cube has seen its usage increase, with 3,000 people a month coming through its doors.
The trust hosts a range of services from the youth club, including exercise classes, mum and toddler dancing as well as educational, arts and cultural activities.
Jill Terry, chair of Malvern Youth and Community Trust, told the Observer it was a memorable day for everyone associated with the centre.
“We are over the moon to have had this visit,” she said.
“We are coming to the end of our fourth year running Malvern Cube and it feels like a good time to celebrate that period.
“The Royal visit has attracted people who have not previously been to the centre to see what we have all be doing as volunteers and we hope that can continue.
“It is a testament to the work that’s done here as the trust is made up of volunteers who were part of the campaign group that saved the building four years ago.
“There was scepticism whether we would make Malvern Cube a success, but there has been a great deal of hard work put in and this occasion is a mark of our success.”
