Zoe’s ready to take on princely role!

From the archive, first published Saturday 10th Nov 2007.

A manager had been appointed for a £9 million centre being built at the heart of a community centre backed by Prince Charles.

Zoë Marston, from Shelf, will run the state-of-the-art Cottingley Cornerstone Centre in Cottingley from Monday, November 19.

The complex includes a hall for functions and performances, an IT suite, a GP surgery, nursery, elderly day-care, youth rooms, respite care for young disabled people, an arts and crafts room, meeting rooms, a church and 50 houses.

Prince Charles was so impressed after hearing about the project during a visit to Cottingley in 2002, he made a donation towards it from his personal charity.

Irene Senior, a trustee of the charity, said: "We are delighted to have appointed Zoë as centre manager to support us as we approach the end of the building process and to implement our operational plans for when we open.

"We felt it important to have someone working with us and the community in the run up to completing the building work, so that when we do open the doors people can start to use their community facilities immediately."

Zoë said: "I am really looking forward to working with everyone in Cottingley to provide the wide range of community facilities that people want.

"The project is unique and I have been very impressed by the immense amount of work that has been undertaken by the trustees and all who have been supporting."

The centre on the Littlelands estate is due to be completed by the end of next summer.