A community centre in St Albans will be able to expand its services after being awarded £73,500 for major improvements.

St Albans City and District Council is giving the money to the Jubilee Centre, in Catherine Street, which runs a wide range of activities for people of all ages.

The extra finance will allow the centre to host more activities and boost attendees' physical and mental wellbeing.

Councillors for both the St Peter’s and Verulam wards agreed to the centre being chosen as a recipient for some of their S106 funds - money contributed by property developers for community infrastructure.

The money will go to Hertfordshire Independent Living Service (HILS), a charitable social enterprise that owns the building’s leasehold and provides services for older and vulnerable people.

Among other activities, it runs a meals-on-wheels service from the centre, serving more than 2,500 older and vulnerable people across the county.

In addition, HILS runs a drop-in lunch club and a dementia club for people living with mild to moderate dementia.

Annie Stevenson, chairman of friends of the Jubilee Centre, said: "The Jubilee Centre is too often overlooked and unrecognised. It is one of our city’s hidden gems as it does a great deal of good for our older citizens as well as our younger ones, but often goes unnoticed.

"A group of us got together to set up Friends of the Jubilee Centre last year to generate new energy in support of this wonderful community asset under the banner – Visible, Valued and Vibrant.

"We now have around 100 members and stand for protecting this community space for inter-generational friendships, creativity and wellbeing.

"This payment from the Council will allow us to support HILS better to develop the Centre, secure its future and see it thrive as a valuable community resource."