Work to transform a pensioners and residents club in Whitehaven is set to begin next week.

Greenbank Pensioners and Residents Club has received funding of around £112,000 for the revamp work to take place.

This will include improved access to the building, installing a new kitchen, refurbished male/female toilets, dedicated disabled toilet, new boiler and the whole facility painted throughout, and new upholstery and flooring.

The transformation should take six to eight weeks.

Peter Tyson, project lead from the Greenbank club, is excited the refurbishment is soon to be underway.

He said: "It’s great to see our vision for this vital community facility moving closer to reality. We are extremely grateful for the funding all of our funders have given us and the project support from Copeland Community Fund, particularly Paula Ratcliffe, has been invaluable. We’re looking forward to a celebration event for the whole community later in the summer."

"The club will still be open during the refurbishment and hope to keep disruption to a minimum, but as with all construction projects there may be some dust!" he added.

The project is being funded by: Copeland Community Fund £46,192, WREN’S FCC Community Action Fund £49,055.50, Whitehaven Town Council £10,000, Sellafield Charity Trust £4,600, Raymond Gill – Mayor of Whitehaven £1,000 and £2,000 from the Club’s own funds.

David Moore, chair of Copeland Community Fund said: "It’s great to see that the refurbishment will soon be underway, it’s be a long journey for this organisation and I am delighted that a member of the Copeland Community Fund team was so instrumental in turning the dreams of a community into reality."

Penny Beaumont, WREN’s grant manager for Cumbria, said: "We’re delighted to be supporting the Greenbank P&R Club facility upgrade project and pleased our funding will make such a difference to so many groups of people across Whitehaven. WREN is always happy to consider grant applications for projects that benefit local communities and we’re looking forward to this one having a positive impact very soon."