EVERY effort is being made to ensure a cultural festival takes place in a new community base in the year 2000.

Distinguished guests - including Lord Hoyle, MP Helen Southworth, Brian Simpson MEP, Mayor Clr Albert Clemow and council leader John Gartside - helped the town's Pakistani community to celebrate Jinnah Day in style.

Demand was so great, organisers, who usually stage the event at Whitecross Community Centre, moved the proceedings to the Parr Hall to cater for crowds of 200 people.

But it is hoped next year community leaders will be marking the occasion - the birthday of Pakistan's founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah - at a planned Moslem community centre in Arpley Street.

Mr Noor Mohammed, secretary of the Pakistan Social and Welfare Society's Warrington branch, said: "We have been given a 125-year lease on the building and we will use it as a social, activity and cultural centre.

"Next year we are looking to holding the Jinnah celebrations in the new centre as well."

Funding for the centre, designed to cater for all Pakistani people, is being sought from the borough council.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.