USERS of a conference centre in Ludlow can raise the roof in celebration at a job well done.

The many groups and organisations that use the Ludlow Mascall Centre, Lower Galdeford, can look forward to enjoying a warmer, drier and more comfortable place thanks to the completion of work to replace its leaking roof.

It was a £166,000 project was led by The Bishop Mascall Centre Foundation, which runs the centre.

The multi-use facility is based in a Victorian school, built in 1857. It is used for a wide range of events and activities, including education, training, community activities, weddings, community and social events.

Before the work, the poor state of its original slate-roof meant rain was getting in and heat was getting out. As well as keeping the rain and the elements out, replacing it has improved the building’s energy-efficiency and ensures that it can be used and enjoyed by the whole community for many years to come.

Funding for the work came from the Roy Fletcher Charitable Trust and The Veolia Environmental Trust who awarded a grant of £75,008 through the Landfill Communities Fund.

The need for the project was highlighted by the centre’s staff, trustees and users who noted the cold and damp during bad weather.

It was also identified in an independent energy audit commissioned by the Roy Fletcher Charitable Trust in 2011 on behalf of the centre.

“Our staff and user groups have already noticed the benefits and we can now look forward to running events and taking bookings for the colder, wetter months without a feeling of dread,” said Tina Healy, director of the centre.

The executive director of the Veolia Environmental Trust, Paul Taylor said the project is an example of how the Landfill Communities Fund helps communities.