Village hall gets a £250,000 revamp
Welcome to the new West Dereham village hall. From left: Pam Bullass, Claire Cann, June Kellingray, Pearl Dossett (vice chairman), Pam Walker, Paula Kellingray (chairman) and Ruth Marsters (treasurer). www.lynnnews.co.uk/buyaphoto
HARD work and perseverance by a determined group of West Norfolk people to improve their 1950s village hall has paid off handsomely after a long wait.
West Dereham now boasts an extended and modernised village hall with vastly improved facilities after a near £250,000 revamp.
It was more than 10 years ago that a Millennium project was started to buy the former village school and turn it into a community centre.
Unfortunately, after a successful start and a lot of hard work, it became apparent that the struggle for funding was becoming too great and, with two public buildings in the village, no major grant funding was available.
Eventually the hard decision to sell the old school was taken – but this raised a considerable sum towards improving the village hall and financing other local community projects.
The Village Trust, formerly the Millennium project, worked together with the village hall management committee and the parish council to provide the best possible village hall.
Plans were drawn up to provide a new roof and toilets, improved heating, a bar and second reception room, a heritage room and a new kitchen. Disabled access requirements also needed to be met.
Village hall management committee chairman Paula Kellingray said: “Committee members faced the daunting task of applying for grants. Anyone who has been involved in this will understand the magnitude of the effort required, especially given the present economic climate.
“However, hard work and perseverance were rewarded with a major grant from Waste Recycling Environmental of £50,000 and a grant of £10,000 from Awards for All, part of the Big Lottery Fund, to equip the new kitchen.”
Norfolk County Council, through the Rural Community Council, awarded the fundraisers £15,000, and West Norfolk Council and the Geoffrey Watling charity each gave £10,000.
A further £12,000 came from the Heritage Lottery Fund towards equipping the new heritage room, and there was also help from companies and private sponsors.
A special recognition event at the hall in late January gave the committee the chance to thank all the donors and sponsors, and the local people who helped to see the project through to completion.
Miss Kellingray said: “We do not have enough funding to buy a stage, fit blinds, equip the kitchen with pans or finish the car park and outside amenity area. However, it is hoped that once the hall starts to generate income this will be remedied soon.
“The committee’s aim in all its grant applications was to unite our community and make it the centre of life in our village.”
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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