NEWTON Abbot’s Courtenay Centre has received valuable financial support thanks to the estate of a founding member.

Murray Watts, a well known solicitor in the town, was the first secretary of Newton Abbot Centre Association in 1962 and was active in promoting a covenant scheme to raise funds for building The Courtenay Centre which was, after significant fundraising efforts, built and opened in 1968.

Mr Watts energetically led the work to make the centre a vibrant place, and enabled the organisation to repay the loans used to complete the building.

He remained in office for many years.

He died in February 2017 and a memorial service was held at the end of the following March.

The Courtenay Centre was built to create an inviting central venue in the town, and to provide appropriate facilities for local people to support their social, educational and recreational needs.

The building and its facilities have been upgraded regularly throughout the last 10 to 15 years and this process continues with the aid of many grants and trusts.

The centre is very well used by a huge range of daily, weekly, monthly or annual clubs, societies and organisations; it provides economical and nourishing lunches for those who wish to join the lunch group and provides many hireable rooms for private functions.