A CENTURY old landmark in Blackwell has been given a new lease of life thanks to the hard work of village volunteers.
Around 40 DIY-ers took on a weekend “make-over” at the Methodist Church Hall transforming it with cleaning, repairs and a fresh lick of paint.
The new-look venue has also been renamed Blackwell Community Hall, reflecting the latest chapter in a history that dates back to 1893 when the building was constructed as a schoolroom.
Locals stepped in when the Greenhill plot was being considered for sale, securing the Methodist Church’s preferred option, for villagers to take over the future running of the building for community and faith activities.
Hall committee chair Terry Pauley who organised the event, said the response from the village showed huge support for the new venture.
“We really wanted to save the building for the local community, it’s a well-known landmark that so many have used over the years, and it would have been a terrible shame for the village to lose such a valuable asset, and worse still to see it knocked down for housing.
“Now we have the challenge of making the venue financially viable, and we already have a number of bookings which is a really positive start, but there is more work to do in order to bring other parts of the building up to a standard the village can be proud of.”
The spacious, spruced-up hall is 12m by 6.75m and includes a large grassed area at the rear which parties and events can also use.
The current week-day rate is just £12 per hour and there are already regular exercise classes that people can join.
Weekend slots are a minimum of four hours for £40.
Visit facebook.com/BCHBlackwell or [email protected] for details.
