An Ashtead community hall was one of nine community projects across Surrey selected for a cash boost to improve buildings and facilities.
Ashtead Peace Memorial Hall in Woodfield Lane successfully bid for £10,600 in funding from Surrey County Council and Mole Valley District Council to provide better disabled access for its visitors.
The hall’s friends group, Friends of Ashtead Village Hall, has also pledged to match the two council’s grants, bringing the total funding for the project to £21,200.
The hall’s executive committee (pictured above) is currently looking for contractors to install disabled-access doors at the hall, and build a porch to protect visitors from the elements.
Jane Hiley, chair of the hall’s executive committee, explained: “We have a lot of people using the hall regularly, and a lot of the folk are retired and have limited mobility.
“We are building this to help them.”
She added: “We are very grateful to the councils. They have been hugely supportive.
“We wouldn’t have been able to do this ourselves.”
Ashtead Peace Memorial Hall's executive committee, L-R: Rosemary Stark, Hanno Dreyer, Tony Williams, Haley Meikle-Braes, Graham Wood, Jane Hiley
The £10,600 grant was part of nearly £300,000 handed out to nine community projects across the county. Surrey County Council awarded £140,000 to the projects, which was then matched by borough and district councils.
St Andrew’s Reformed Church in Walton-on-Thames was one of the nine community projects included in the handout. The church received £40,000 to replace and expand toilets and facilities for disabled people.
Effingham Village Recreation Trust received £15,300 to refurbish its kitchen and overhaul its servery so a café could operate there.
Richard Walsh, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Localities and Community Wellbeing, said: “While money’s tight because of rising demand for services like adult social care, there’s still plenty we can do to help people make a lasting difference in their neighbourhoods.
“All of these initiatives are great examples of that as well as the fantastic community spirit that exists in Surrey – and without the money from us and our district and borough colleagues it would have been harder for them to attract other funding.”
For more information on Ashtead Peace Memorial Hall, visit http://www.apmh.org.uk/
Got a story? Get in touch at craig.richard@london.newsquest.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here