A CHESHIRE charity has awarded a £5,000 grant to help towards a facelift for a popular village hall in Wrenbury.

Cheshire Community Foundation (CCF) has recognised the large role played by St Margaret’s Village Hall in serving the community across south Cheshire.

The funds will pay for a new kitchen as part of major improvement work on the two separate buildings which make up the hall on Cholmondeley Road.

The total cost could be more than £40,000 with WREN, a not-for-profit business that helps people living close to landfill sites, also making a contribution towards the refurbishment which includes a new roof, damp coursing and other exterior upgrades.

Keith Dutton, secretary of the village hall trust, said: “The grant for the new kitchen means a lot to us because the hall gets such a lot of use and we attract people from a large catchment area, stretching beyond Whitchurch.

“The hall is used for all kinds of things from toddler groups to activities for the elderly and online survey showed that more than 70 per cent of people think it’s an essential service. We’re hoping the work will get under way soon and create a more comfortable and warmer environment.”

Helen O’Donnell, chief executive of CCF, said: “We’re delighted the grant will help improve the overall condition and appearance of the hall, leading to more private bookings to help secure its future sustainability and improve the availability of community facilities.

“The vision of Cheshire Community Foundation is to make Cheshire better and in some ways we’re like a broker. Donors use our expertise as a philanthropic adviser and grant maker to choose organisations to fund that suit their interests and values and make sure their investment is a sound one and has the impact they intended.”

For more details call Cheshire Community Foundation on 01606 330607 or email grants@cheshirecommunityfoundation.org.uk.