Local investment helps Gunnislake Village Hall prepare to reopen its doors

08th July 2021

For the locals of East Cornwall, the road out of lockdown includes looking forward to an improved village hall when it reopens. The heart of the community; Gunnislake Village Hall has received part of our £100,000 Neighbourhood Fund.

 

 

Originally a chapel, built in 1870, the Village Hall is a focal point for the Gunnislake community and is run entirely by volunteers. With fundraising opportunities at a complete halt due to the pandemic, a rotting window frame posed a security risk and meant significant heat loss.

 

The grant awarded will be used to repair and replace the window, as part of the great effort going into getting the Hall back up and running post-lockdown. The committee behind Gunnislake Village Hall are busy making sure it’s ready to offer much-needed leisure facilities and a meeting point for the local population.

 

Frank Goodman, Treasurer for Gunnislake Village Hall, said:

 

“As a not for profit, we are always on the hunt for different ways of securing funding and we are very much in need of additional money. We are very grateful for this grant from South West Water which is going towards well overdue maintenance issues as we start to bring the community back to the hall.”

 

Jo Ecroyd, Customer Services Director at South West Water, added:

 

“After we’ve all spent such a long time in our homes and not seeing friends and family, having places like Gunnislake Village Hall to meet up with neighbours is all that more important to everyone. We’re really happy to be contributing to helping make this valuable local community space the best it can be when we all start to safely socialise again.”

 

We're giving back to the region it works within and cares about by actively improving the lives of people and the places they love for generations to come. The pandemic has emphasised the importance of local communities and we're investing in supporting people across Devon and Cornwall to build back and connect communities. The Neighbourhood Fund is making a tangible difference to the lives of people living in Devon and Cornwall.

 

We're making this investment to better the lives of local people through funding projects which protect the nature and the environment for the benefit of community health and well-being; provide new opportunities for people to learn and develop; bring communities together, virtually or physically – when safe to do so; and/or support the upkeep of local neighbourhood centres and facilities to keep communities strong.