A GREENOCK community centre is gearing up to open up for the first time this year.

Branchton Community Centre will welcome people back on Monday after being closed since Christmas Eve due to the pandemic and public health rules.

Staff say they are looking forward to getting back to business and restarting their busy programme of activities and groups.

Willie Wilson, centre manager, said: "I'm looking to meeting up with folk again, especially the young ones and the old ones, those are the two groups I've missed the most.

"The centre has been open for 21 years and this is the longest period we have been closed."

There are exciting new developments ahead, including a community shop due to be launched next month and a plan for a community garden.

Willie said: "People who are struggling financially will be able to get items for free from the shop or make a donation.

"We will stock the shop with donations from Tesco and Amazon and used donations to buy from the charity In Kind Direct.

"Eventually we hope we can make it into a real shop."

The shop is being funded through a £24,000 Covid Recovery Fund grant and there will also be volunteering opportunities created.

Teresa O'Donnell, a board member at Branchton, is on the shop committee and also runs the toddlers group based at the centre.

She said: "It's an exciting time and it feels as if we are getting back to normality and moving forward.

"It will be good to get people back to the centre and out of their houses.

"My dad is 84 and he is delighted to be able to get out and get back to the Regent Club, and I am sure many of our pensioners feel the same about here.

"People in the community have missed the centre and keep asking when they can come back."

Teresa is also a childminder and knows the impact the lockdown has had on the very young too.

She said: "Some babies who are six and seven months old have never been to soft play or a toddlers group."

Willie says the centre will exercise caution as it looks to take small steps forward during the easing of restrictions.

He said: "Six people from two households can meet indoors, so people can come in for lunch.

"Things like our exercise classes can go ahead with 15 people which is still low for us as we usually have up to 30 people.

"The youth club will only be allowed 30 in total, including eight youth workers.

"Normally we would have 50 to 60 kids a night, so we will create a system to accommodate everyone."