​Of the two applications we made for funding, we were awarded £15,000 from the National Lottery Community fund “awards for all”. The much larger application to Veolia did not, sufficiently fit the environmental trust’s, criteria which means that we are short of our fundraising total.  
 
Further grant applications continue to be submitted but we recognize that this is a very difficult funding environment. Despite the shortfall the church parish council have decided to go ahead with the structural alteration plans, albeit slightly modified. We have £75,000 to spend but the main structural works will cost £69,000.
 
In preparation for the build, we need to significantly downsize the quantity of items stored in the hall. In preparation for this we will be a holding a “sort your stuff out” day on Saturday June 7th anything that you wish to dispose of can go into the Jumble trail on June 14th. By Sunday July 20th items stored in the hall really do need to be at a minimum. We will ask groups to minimize their items/ take them home until works are completed.
 
Building work will start on the first day of the school holidays July 21st. 
During august we anticipate that the bulk of the dirty works will be completed. 
 
By the first day of the autumn term the builders will have created a separation between themselves and the hall. 
Groups will be able to continue to use the hall, but the total floor space will be slightly reduced there is likely to be some noise and dust. The size of the car park will be reduced due to the building contractors needs for access. 
 
We cannot accurately predict when the works will be completed but we will be urging as speedy a completion as possible with half term as the deadline. 
 
Because we are still short of our fundraising target, we may have to delay elements of the works like sanding the floors and painting the ceiling, but we will return to those as soon as funds permit. 
 
Your help in minimizing what is in the hall over the period of this build is vital. We appreciate this will be disruptive, but we do look forward to being able to offer everyone a more fit for purpose, facility in the future.