A £1 million fundraising target has been set to transform Langwathby village hall into a building fit for a king.
Lee Wray-Davies, who was the driving force behind the village’s coronation celebrations, said the idea was to create a bigger, nicer hall in which people can do more things like the community events which took place.
“There are various trust funds and grants we are applying for, but it is a lot of money,” said Lee.
Fundraising initiatives ranging from big breakfasts to gin tasting evenings have proved popular in the past, but Lee said they were keen to hear from community groups willing to put on music or film nights to help boost the coffers. There is about £2,000 in the pot at the moment.
“We are not going to knock it down, but we want to make it more accessible for people in wheelchairs and make it dementia friendly, plus have more breakout rooms, so we can have multiple sessions on and they won’t disrupt each other, because we have archery and badminton and all sorts on in here,” said Lee.
The plan is to also create a bigger kitchen, with some nice sheltered outdoor space, and make it a fully sustainable building from an environmental point of view.
“We want to future proof it and make sure car parking is a bit safer at the back,” said Lee, who hopes the hall can once again be the hub of Langwathby.
The village hall is home to fitness classes, yoga, archery, community groups and annual fairs. It also provides a place to meet and socialise, which is vital in tackling loneliness.
“Unfortunately after many years of use our village hall is no longer fit for purpose,” a village committee spokeswoman said.
“A full renovation is needed so the hall can be used more effectively, bring the local community together again and continue its use for generations to come, serving families long into the future.”
