THE man who has been at the forefront of Bury's popular Mosses Centre since it was pulled back from the brink of closure is moving on.

Mr Peter Firth has held the post of chief officer of the Mosses Community Association for the past 16 years.

The association is a charity which overseas the running of the Cecil Street centre, and he took up his post when the association, formed to operate the Mosses after it faced closure, appointed him as its first chief officer.

He said: "The charity said they'd run the Mosses and Bury Council leased the centre to them at a peppercorn rent. The association runs and oversees the Mosses Centre and provides a community hub for lots of different groups.

"The charity now runs a popular and busy centre with 40 activities and groups each week,, We have developed our own community projects over the years, including the Mosses Playweeks, encouraging outside play over the summer months, youth clubs and the Ofsted 'outstanding' pre-school."

An integral part of Peter's role has involved sourcing funding towards the running costs of the Mosses Centre. Before he came to Bury, the 53-year-old had been in charge of a community centre in Bolton.

He is leaving the Mosses to take up a post as business development manager with the Greater Manchester Carers Trust, based in Bolton.

Peter added: "It will be sad to say goodbye to my colleagues in Bury. I am proud of what the association and the Mosses have achieved over the years. I am looking forward to the challenges of my new job."

Last week, the Mosses Centre held an "open house" with a buffet and licensed bar to allow people to wish Peter farewell.