A man who has been at heart of community life on an Oxford estate was honoured at a special 50th anniversary event.

Rose Hill Community Centre, at The Oval, hosted a meal and dance for committee members on Saturday and Lord Mayor of Oxford Jim Campbell officially named the ballroom after former city councillor Bill Buckingham.

Mr Buckingham, 85, is the current committee secretary and has been involved in the centre since the 1930s, when it was run from an ex-Army hut on what is now Butler House, in Ashurst Way.

After a fire destroyed the hut, Mr Buckingham, then chairman, began hosting committee meetings at his own house, until the council agreed to give £10,000 to build a new centre for the estate.

This was opened by the Mayor of Oxford, Wilfred 'Jack' Allaway, in September 1956 at a grand launch party.

Norman Brown became chairman shortly afterwards and began The Rose Hill Roundabout, a newsletter circulated around the estate, which was renowned for its forthright editorials.

In one of the early editions, the centre boasted an array of activities, including football training, table tennis, rock 'n' roll, a film show and a housewives' club. The Judo Club and the Silver Threads Club for older people, both still going strong today, had just started.

A hall was built on to the centre after £150 was borrowed from the council. This was later named after Mr Brown, who died in 1984.

Carol Davis, current chairman of the community centre and Mr Brown's daughter, started going to dances at the centre when she was 18.

She said: "My favourite memories are of the bazaars we used to hold. We used to have wonderful ones where everyone would come to buy their Christmas presents.

"They also used to have Saturday night bingo which was 6p a time and was always totally packed out.

"When you look back at what we used to have, it's just incredible."

Mrs Davies said it had changed a lot over the years, adding: "It's changed because people have changed and their attitudes are different. Back in the 50s, how many people had a television? People used to use their community centres more.

"But we still have a lot going on here."