Otley’s new Town Council base and community resource will be officially opened this weekend – and everyone’s invited.

The Otley Core Resource Centre has already been used by several community groups, including Otley Action for Older People, and hosted events like the Dementia Friendly Otley launch since opening its doors in April.

The Orchard Gate offices have also been used by Jobcentre Plus to provide once-a-week personal interviews with local jobseekers, in what the town council hopes will be one of many co-operative ventures with other organisations.

Now the centre will receive its official opening, with full fanfare and a variety of family friendly attractions, when new town mayor Councillor Pam Gill (Lab, Manor) declares it officially up and running at 11am on Saturday.

A number of local charities and voluntary groups, including Otley Action for Older People, Behind Closed Doors, Otley Carnival, The Salvation Army, Otley Town Partnership and Otley Walking Festival will also have stands promoting their work.

Town council leader Councillor John Eveleigh (Lab, Ashfield) said: “The intention is for this not to be a formal opening, where loads of dignitaries are invited, but a real community event in line with the ethos of the building which is, of course, there to serve Otley residents and visitors.

“We have been delighted by the positive start and the impact that the Core is already having on the life of the town.

“Saturday will be a great opportunity for people to come and see for themselves and to give the town council their views on other types of services they would like to see delivered from the building.

“The event, from 11am to 3pm, will have something for everyone, including refreshments and free face painting for children, and all visitors on the day will be entered into a free prize draw.

“There is also going to be a ‘memory tree’ where everyone who drops in can put their finger print and name onto a tree. This will be a bit of history for Otley – everyone who comes into the building will be remembered.”

Visitors will also be able to view and discuss the new cycling strategy for Otley, Do You Ride?, which aims to further improve the town’s already enviable cycling credentials.

Councillor Austin Kelly (Lab, Ashfield), chairman of the council’s community development committee, added: “We hope that young and old will come to see the Core in action and support the local groups who will have displays.

“I think people have really caught hold of the vision, and can see the huge potential of a resource centre in delivering local services.

“We have been really pleased to reach an agreement with Job Centre Plus, and the Connexions careers service, to run an outreach service - and to have already had a couple of developers consulting with the public on potential development sites in the town.

“We are also planning to hold drop-in services with the police and town councillor surgeries very soon.”