Lottery victory for Yanscombe Village Hall

VILLAGERS in Yarnscombe are celebrating today (Tuesday) after being awarded £62,990 from the Big Lottery Fund to improve their village hall. The funding from BIG's Reaching Communities programme will provide new opportunities for local activities and trai

VILLAGERS in Yarnscombe are celebrating today (Tuesday) after being awarded £62,990 from the Big Lottery Fund to improve their village hall.The funding from BIG's Reaching Communities programme will provide new opportunities for local activities and training and vastly improve Yarnscombe Victory Hall's car park and other facilities, making it accessible to the whole community.Village hall chairman Maureen Woollacott, said that the funding would ensure that the "isolated" community could reach all age groups within the parish."Yarnscombe Victory Hall is thrilled to be the recipients of this funding from the Big Lottery Fund," she said."The money will help provide a new surface to our car park; new disabled facilities including a hearing loop and alarm system, a pa system; as well as eco and solar lighting. "The hall will also provide a range of new activities including workshops, volunteer training, parenting skills and ITC. All this will help ensure that we have an inclusive community which will combat rural and social isolation -giving a sustainable real community spirit."The biggest improvement will be to resurface the car park, which is currently heavily rutted and dangerously uneven making it difficult for older and disabled people to access the hall.Mark Cotton, the Big Lottery Fund's head of region for the South West, said: "One of the Big Lottery Fund's main priorities is to bring real improvements to communities and this initiative will do just that. "In rural areas, the village hall is the centre of community life, so this project is essential in improving access, allowing the hall to be used by all.