ONE of Ilminster town centre’s key buildings is set for a new lease of life on its 300th birthday thanks to a dedicated group of volunteers.

Ilminster Arts Centre is hoping to have a rejuvenated home by the end of 2019, with volunteers getting hands on at the historic meeting house.

But the team of volunteers are still looking for more people to help them hit their targets.

Arts Centre Trustee Jerry Butler is leading the team of keen workers to get the build spick and span.

He said: “The Meeting House, where the Arts Centre is located, is a wonderful old building but like all old structures it needs a lot of TLC.

“We’re looking for handy folk who would like get involved painting, gardening and doing various DIY odd jobs to get the place looking ship shape as it celebrates three centuries at the heart of Ilminster life.

“There are no fixed hours, but some work will take place on Sundays when the Arts Centre is closed.”

The main part of the refurbishment process is known as the green gym - inspiring people to get active outdoors in the Meeting House garden.

Jerry added: “It is a lovely building inside, but it is getting people to see past the relatively austere parts of the old chapel.

“We need to do something. There are quite a lot of little things we need to, anything that people can help with in the garden is a good start.”

Ilminster Arts Centre is a community facility located within an 18th-century former Unitarian Church.

The arts centre is run with generous help from many unpaid volunteers and hosts a busy programme of art exhibitions, live music concerts and other events.

This month, the group is also bidding to land up to £4,000 in cash from the Tesco Bags for Help Scheme.

Christine Walker, treasurer and trustee of the Arts Centre, said: “Our café garden is well-used by visitors and is popular with walkers, cyclists and visitors with dogs - but it’s in urgent need of a revamp.

“We want to make the garden a pleasant place for all our visitors and we hope that the local community will support our bid to improve our facilities.”

Voting is open at Ilminster Tesco through January and February.