Lighthorne Village Hall were successful in their application for £100,000 to demolish and reconstruct the North Annexe of the Hall.

Lighthorne Village Hall has been at the heart of village life since the 1960s, providing a space where residents of all ages come together to socialise, celebrate and support one another. It currently hosts drama productions, quizzes, film nights, the Lighthorne History Society, fitness classes, table tennis sessions, fundraising events, and most recently the "Annexe Arms" - a pop-up pub every Friday night, which launched after the closure of the local public house, the proceeds of which go towards the additional funding required for this project.

The North Annexe was built as an extension to the main hall in the early 1970s. In recent years, its foundation has failed and there is significant internal and external cracking. It is now beginning to affect the stability of parts of the main hall where they are connected, as the annexe pulls away from the main building.

The project will demolish the existing annexe and rebuild the shell, to provide enhanced facilities to the hall, ultimately including an enclosed space enabling use independently of the main hall, a backstage area for dramatic productions, changing rooms, a rehearsal/meeting room, a new kitchen and toilet facilities, and storage on the first floor.

Once the shell has been constructed, the village will continue to raise the funds to fit out the space, ensuring the whole, enhanced building can be enjoyed residents over many years to come.

Fiona Driver, Chair of the Lighthorne Village Hall Management Committee said "We are very grateful to receive this funding from SDC. It will allow us to demolish and rebuild one part of our village hall which is in a terrible structural condition. The replacement annexe will be a multi-functional space, delivering improved changing facilities for drama and music events, much needed storage, and better areas to hire out for increased future revenue. This project is already strengthening community cohesion and will ensure the Hall is retained as a vibrant civic space, where community is built, maintained and celebrated for generations to come."

The works have already started, so watch this space to find out more as the project continues.