VILLAGERS have defied the recession by raising money to rebuild their community centre.

Local clubs, parents and businesses fed up with the tired state of Wootton and Dry Sandford Community Centre, near Abingdon, joined together to stump up more than £80,000 towards the work.

A team of volunteers has met every week for four years to come up with ways of raising the cash and are toasting their success after the £1.3m centre was unveiled on Thursday.

The rest of the money came from grants, including £500,000 from the National Lottery.

Chairman of the redevelopment committee George Edmonds-Brown said: “It is a spectacular building and was desperately needed because the previous centre was built in 1957.

“It is the centre of the community and is used by more than 25 groups.

“The fundraising effort has been incredible.”

The children’s centre, which will open in June, has been funded by the county council and offers services for parents and their children up to the age of five.