THE future of a North Oxford community centre is safe after residents managed to raise £500,000 to buy St Margaret's Institute, in Polstead Road.

As part a four-year fundraising campaign, more than 800 individual donors supported the appeal, along with 18 trusts and charities.

St John's College agreed to sell a 999-year lease of the building in 2004 and the voluntary committee which runs the centre managed to reach its target just days before the money was needed.

A further £100,000 was raised to refurbish the building.