A desperate community centre in Catford is trying to raise £5,000 in two months in a last-ditch attempt to prevent its closure.

Workers at The Abbotshall Road Healthy Lifestyle Centre (HLC) say it would be a "massive loss" if they can no longer offer events for people of all ages.

Children's football club Lewisham Tigers is based in Abbotshall Playing Fields, leaving its future unclear.

The HLC has suffered a financial decline with complaints that not as many events are being held as there were in the past 10 years.

Remaining staff are also working on a volunteer basis.

Mekor Newman, chairman of the HLC board, is confident the centre, which he described as the "heart of Catford", can turn it around.

"We are 60 per cent there with our crowdfunding target," he told News Shopper, with more than £3,000 raised at the time of publishing.

"We are currently developing a business plan to give Lewisham Council confidence we have the capacity to manage this long-term."

The council may look for an alternative leaseholder from March for the space, which is the size of around three football pitches.

Mekor is helping to set up a registered charity company to take independent control of the centre.

He said: "We are really focused on bringing the community together. In the past we have campaigned to save our butchers and local library.

"The biggest loss if we closed would be for young people. If you come here at a weekend there are loads and loads of youngsters.

"Young families are here too, we have lots of baby activities. Nowhere else can put 1,700 people together and host a fireworks display.

"This works really well."

Despite an uncertain 2019, Mekor said the support from residents has been 'fantastic', and he is confident the centre can soon be sustainable.

Link to fundraiser - https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/healthy-lifestyle-centre-abbotshall-road-catford/backers#start

He explained: "The future of centres like this sometimes fail because they are not able to attract enough people. But we have such a good community here and we have lots of networks with different areas.

"We really want to maximise the opportunities this space provides."

A Lewisham Council spokesman said: "We are in the process of granting a premises management agreement to Abbotshall Lifestyle, a local community organisation, which will mean the centre can continue to run in the short term. In December we will begin the process of finding a suitable organisation to take over the lease of the centre on a long-term basis."