A community group is on track to buy its local hub, which is home to a food bank, repair cafe and community pantry.

The Stroud Earth Community is close to raising at least £200,000 to take ownership of the Trinity Rooms, which are currently owned by the local church.

The group has been putting on activities and events to raise money to buy the centre in in Stroud, Gloucestershire.

Co-ordinator, Josie Cagill, said they have "loads of plans for how we're going to improve this building".

The Trinity Rooms are also used for poetry, a mother and baby group, parties, weddings and funerals.

"This building is currently owned by the church, we rent it," Ms Cagill said.

"They're very keen for us to buy it because they like what were doing here. They've given us time to raise the money and we're now nearing our target.

"I have been overwhelmed by the number of people who have supported us both financially but also emotionally.

"Once we own the building we are much more viable for fundraising grants. We'd like to put in solar panels on the roof, secondary glazing and we'd like to get a new boiler.

"There's also a whole area in the back that's derelict we'd like to knock down and have more spaces out there to rent out to our community, so we have big plans."

'Sky's the limit'
Martin Jakes, who is part of the project group, said his mother has invested in the future of the building.

"She's always been really interested in social equity, homelessness and food poverty.

"She's been thinking a lot about what she might do in terms of legacy. All of those things she's so passionate about come together under this one roof.

"I think it's an extraordinary thing. The sky's the limit for what could happen here."

Fundraiser, Anita Van Rossum, said a lot of cake has been sold to help raise funds: "I imagined a cake-o-meter and cut it into eight slices, with each slice representing £125.

"Every week at the Friday community cafe people would be invited to enjoy cake. We started in October and now I've filled the cake up to £1,000".