Our History
The centre’s story begins in 1870, when the building first opened as the village’s primary school. For over a century, it stood as a place of learning and gathering for local children and families.
In the mid-1900s, the building was transformed into a community centre, quickly becoming a go-to venue for birthday parties, wedding celebrations, ceilidhs, and community functions. It’s a space many in the village hold fond memories of, and its walls have witnessed generations of local life.
A New Chapter
In 2025, facing the threat of closure due to wider council cuts to local halls, the people of Carstairs stepped up to safeguard the centre’s future. Our dedicated management group signed a lease with South Lanarkshire Council, officially taking over the running of the centre as a community-owned charity (SCIO).
We are now proud to say the centre is run by local people, for local people with no funding from the council. Everything we do is made possible through hall hire, community events, fundraising, and the generous time of volunteers.
Get Involved
We're always looking for and desperately need volunteers. The centre is fully community led, meaning even the cleaning is completed by local volunteers! From being part of our cleaning group, fundraising ideas or volunteer bar tending, WE NEED YOU!
Contact the centre for more information on how to volunteer even a little bit of your time or skillset.
We’d love to hear from you.