A PACKED programme of events is planned at a South Craven venue as it welcomes back the public post-lockdown.

The autumn will see a return to Glusburn Community & Arts Centre of David Bowie tribute act David Live! It will be followed later in the season by The Greatest Movies Show and Frankie Valli tribute The Ragdolls.

And many user groups, some of which have been meeting at the Colne Road centre for years, are returning.

A wide range of activities is on offer, including sessions for pre-schoolers, health and fitness classes, crafts and social groups. New groups meeting there include Skipton Music Centre and Sutton’s Got Brass.

Plus the centre is working on providing skills-based courses aimed at teenagers, to be held after school, evenings and weekends.

Sessions could cover subjects ranging from mixed media, cookery and pre-driving to photography and it is intended for them to link-in with the skills section of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. “We are trying to keep the cost of these courses low to start off to give the opportunity to as wide a number of students as possible,” said Gill Birks, chair of the centre. “We’ve received a grant from the Big Lottery Community Fund, which has helped with set-up costs.”

Other plans include a wellbeing cafe, on Monday mornings. People will be able to simply drop-in for a chat or take part in a craft activity led by a specialist tutor.

Mrs Birks says an administrator and two caretakers are employed part-time at the centre, but that the venue is run by volunteers. “The centre is normally open seven days a week so new volunteers – particularly to help with running the bar, the cafe and sound and lighting for events – are always needed!” she said.

She added that a considerable amount of work had been carried out to the building – including the installation of a 13-person lift, new toilets and the refurbishment of the ground-floor activity room ­– and more is planned.

Funding had been received from organisations including the Big Lottery Community Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation, Co-operative Society, Drake Lane Associates and Bernard Sunley Foundation.

For more details and to offer support, visit gicac.org.uk or call 01535 630223.