Nus Ghani, MP for Wealden, was delighted to hear that the King Edward VII Institute, which runs Groombridge Village Hall, has received a grant of £10,000 from the Lottery Community Fund.
The grant will be used to help fund the installation of solar panels and an improved control system. This will lower the running costs of the the hall, making it more viable for the future, and also reduce the hall's carbon footprint.
The hall currently has over 2,000 bookings a year, with over 25 regular society and organisation meetings, including Pre-School, Scouts, Beavers, Tiny Tots, Senior Citizens' Lunches, Coffee mornings, Exercise, Bridge, WI, Horticulture, History, Film, Drama, Tai Chi, Pilates, Dance, Yoga, Badminton and Table Tennis groups.
The hall is run entirely by volunteers and has benefited in the past from other lottery funds as well as grants from Wealden District Council, Withyham Parish Council and two local trusts.
Nus Ghani said "Groombridge Village Hall is a wonderful asset for everyone living in and near the village, and I am so pleased that the volunteers running this facility have received this award from the Lottery Community Fund as it will help ensure both the ecological and financial sustainability of the hall long term."
