THE woman who has masterminded major improvements to a community hall near Tenbury is stepping down.

Janet Penn has decided the time has come to retire as chairman of the St Michael’s Village Hall Committee after four years which have seen the facility transformed.

But she leaves with a message that it has become increasingly hard to lever funding from organisations like the Lottery and local authorities.

The 79-year-old says that it is not age that has made her decide to step aside but a feeling that it is time to let someone else take the helm.

She will not only be retiring as chairman next month but her husband Tony is also coming off the committee although he continues as a member for Tenbury on Malvern Hills District Council.

“Both Tony and I are very fortunate with our health but we want more time together and also want to be able to travel,” said Janet Penn.

The couple went on a tour of Australia last year.

Janet Penn first became involved with St Michael’s Village Hall in 1964 although she stepped away for a period to run a successful plant nursery business in the area.

However, she returned to the Village Hall Committee in 2009 and has been chairman for the past four years.

That period has seen a major transformation of the facility which is used for community activities almost every day of the week.

The projects that have been completed include a major scheme to replace the wooden floor and install a new heating system and windows.

A new state-of-the-art kitchen and bar have been installed and a new committee room built.

New toilet facilities have been provided and changes made to improve access for people with disabilities.

But it will not stop there and there is a plan to further extend one of the committee rooms but this is for the future.

An indication of the new status of St Michael’s Village Hall is that it has been used for meetings of Malvern Hills District Council when topics of particular interest to Tenbury are discussed.

But the great challenge has been securing funding and that has been a mix of the efforts of villagers and grants from outside bodies.

Most recently, at the beginning of this year, a grant of £3,000 was given by Malvern Hills District Council.

There is an annual fete as well as other events throughout the year. At one time there was also a regular Saturday sale.

Janet Penn says that getting funding from external bodies like the Lottery and local authorities is becoming ever more challenging.

“There are a lot of hoops to jump through and getting finding can take a long time,” she said.

“Increasingly there is a requirement to prove need and this can be difficult because we are so near to Tenbury.”

But, despite the difficulties, St Michael’s Village Hall has come a long way since it was a ‘tin shack’ on Oldwood Common and the improvements are set to continue.