OKEHAMPTON Town Council has shown its support for the Ockment Centre during a new chapter for the community hub. The town council has given the centre a grant of £5,000 to help with running costs. The future of the centre is looking as bright as ever, with the trustees having taken ownership of the building from Devon County Council. This will free up £9,500 a year previously spent on leasing the building to be spent on other things. Okehampton's mayor Cllr Paul Vachon presented the centre's chair of trustees Judy Pride with the grant cheque. He said: 'The council is keen to support the centre in recognition of the importance of having a dedicated community centre to serve the population of Okehampton and its surrounding areas.' Judy Pride, chair of trustees, said: 'I don't know whether we will ever be able to say that financial perils will be a thing of the past. But, in the past we have been holding on by our fingertips. 'Now we are standing on our own two feet. We are so close, with the support of the town council, which is crucial still to fill in that last gap. We are so grateful to them. 'We also have been so grateful to Okehampton United Charity, that has been there when we could see the future was good but at that point in time our income wasn't meeting our costs.'