JUNIOR kayak champion Emma Witherford who began her kayaking career at Pershore Riverside Centre helped cut the ribbon last week to officially open the new activity centre development.

Emma was accompanied by West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin as they helped celebrate the culmination of a two-year project which saw the centre charity raise £375,000 to make it a reality.

The main funding came from Sport England Inspired Facilities Lottery funding, British Canoeing, Severn Waste Services and Wychavon District Council. Other supporters and funders have been Pershore Rotary, The Clothworkers Foundation, The Bernard Sunley Foundation, Asda Pershore and the charity's own fundraising events which were supported by local residents and businesses.

The centre is fortunate to be based on the banks of the River Avon where it is the perfect place for teaching canoeing, kayaking, bell boating and stand up paddleboards. There is safe flat water by the centre and some moving water close by on the local weirs, and plans to build a specialist water course which will make Pershore a destination site for paddlesports.

Liz Tucker, the chair of the charity said: "The centre already works with hundreds of young people through the year and they will all benefit from the new facilities and activities. Importantly, the not-for-profit income that the new activities hope to generate will help the charity towards a more sustainable future. We would like to thank all our supporters and people that have helped us to where we are today."

She added it was important for local people to help promote the centre by chosing the venue for birthday parties and other activities where funds raised would go towards enabling specialist youth support and youth activities.

The centre is having an open day on Saturday October 31 from 12pm to 2pm where there will be displays from the kayakers and professional scooter team, as well as facepainting and a chance to have a look at the new facilities that are now available to the community.

More information about the work the charity does can be found on its website pershoreriversidecentre.org