A COMMUNITY hall near Ludlow has been completely refurbished at a cost of more than £80,000.

The money has been raised by the local community combined with a major grant.

Villagers from Ashford Carbonell threw a party over Easter to mark to the completion of the project.

The party, that included a bar refreshments and a prize draw, followed the official re-opening ceremony.

The project has refurbished the 100-year-old wooden structure.

Work has included making permanent the link to the service block constructed in 2008, updating the heating system, and increasing the space available to users.

Thermal and acoustic panels have also been fitted to its ceiling, and an induction loop and low energy lighting have been installed. The hall’s floor and windows have also been replaced and its electrics have been upgraded.

Funding for the work has come from The Veolia Environmental Trust, which awarded a grant of £37,691 through the Landfill Communities Fund, with the village hall committee making up the shortfall from its own funds.

Through careful budgeting, funds have become available to upgrade the building’s exterior, cladding it in insulation and low-maintenance render to further improve management costs.

A wide range of groups and organisations use the hall throughout the week.

These include the parish council, the village’s sports and social club, the WI, a bowls club, a weekly post office, a bridge club, and a yoga group. It is also a venue for ‘Flicks in the Sticks’ film shows.

A comprehensive village wide survey and consultation was conducted in 2013 to determine the future needs of the community.

With regard to the village hall, among other issues, many villagers pointed out the poor standard of acoustics and environment of the hall, and the project was developed to solve them.

Chairman of the hall’s management committee, Ishbell Yellowley, said: “We are so pleased to be celebrating the transformation of our hall.

“The village has no shop or pub so the hall is a vital part of village life, this work means that it remain so for many years to come.

"We would like to say a big thank you to the people of Ashford Carbonell, and everyone who helped to make it happen.”

The executive director of The Veolia Environmental Trust, Paul Taylor said that his company was pleased to have been able to help with the improvement of an important community facility.

“It is great to hear that this important work is complete. Across the UK, village halls play a very important role in the lives of people of all ages,” he said.

“They offer a place for fun, support and learning and it is one of our priorities to support projects to improve them for all. I hope this work means that Ashford Carbonell hall can continue to do so well into the future.”