A community association that plays host to a bowling club, salsa dancers and railway enthusiasts is the latest organisation to enter the Evening Post's Building Healthy Communities competition.

The Stapleton and Begbrook Community Association wants to build an extension to cater for the groups that use its facilities.

About 800 people use the social club each week, from the engineers who repair the Ashton Court miniature railway to a racing pigeon club. Among them are the 100 members of the Begbrook Green Bowling Club, and teams from the Gloucester Deaf Bowling Club.

Over the summer the clubs use the association's facilities to make teas and refreshments during their matches. But the facilities are also hired out to private parties, meaning they are often double-booked.

Bryan Powell, 63, of Glen View, Stapleton, has been a member of the Stapleton and Begbrook Community Association since it began, in 1975, and its steward for the past four years. He said: "What we are trying to do is build a new tea room for the bowlers. What that will do then is make it available for other things such as a nursery or conference room when they are not using it.

"We would like a new extension attached to what we already have here, which would overlook the bowling green. The money would help us get plans drawn up. We could get some designs in place and get an idea of what it could look like so that we can provide the best facilities for the club and all the groups here."

The association hopes to have new changing facilities, toilets and a kitchen that has already been planned and can work in with the extension.

The new facilities would be able to cater for up to 80 people.

Mr Powell said: "When the bowlers have a six-rink match you do get a number of people queuing for refreshments. Winning the competition would get the ball rolling with the work, so to speak. There has been so much talking but no action, so this would really set the whole thing off."

The Evening Post's Building Healthy Communities competition, sponsored by Leadbitter, gives community groups and schools the chance to win a share of £16,000 for improvements.

Leadbitter regional director Rob Bradley said: "The Stapleton and Begbrook Community Association is obviously a much-loved and well-used social centre, and it is fantastic that it wants to improve its facilities to benefit even more people. Social centres like this are at the heart of so many communities across Bristol, and we wish them the very best of luck for the competition."

The competition is being run in two stages. The first, which runs until August, will be for everyone from community groups to sports clubs and fitness groups, while the second, running in January next year, will be for schools of all ages. The deadline for entries is May 31, so organisations have just over a week left to get their applications in.