Two village halls receive grants from the District Council

Two village halls will receive funding for improvements thanks to Community Chest grants from the District Council.

Swavesey Village Hall has been awarded a grant of £876 for new curtains that meet fire safety guidelines and Fowlmere Recreation Ground and Village Hall a grant of £2,000 towards blinds to help reduce bright sunlight glare.

Cllr Henry Batchelor, Lead Cabinet Member for Communities for South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “We’re proud to support a wide range of community projects through the Community Chest grant funding. It's great to see the transformative power of these grants which are allocated to community groups and local charities. It makes a real difference and is testament to the Council’s commitment to nurturing grassroots initiatives and ensuring every corner of our District thrives.”

Swavesey Memorial Hall hosts a variety of events such as Parish Council meetings, a teaching group for disabled children, club meetings, weddings, fundraisers, children’s parties, training workshops and business meetings.

The George Long Charity for Swavesey Memorial Hall requested grant funding as the current curtains and tracks at the hall’s meeting room are now 22 years old, beyond repair, and do not meet current fire-retardant guidelines.

Thanks to the £876 grant the Hall Committee can commission a local seamstress to make three pairs of fire-retardant curtains, including the supply and fitting of the tracks.

Cllr Sue Ellington, local councillor for Swavesey, said: “I am pleased to be able to support the improvements to the Swavesey Memorial Hall meeting room, which is used regularly by local clubs and businesses. The Hall is celebrating 100 years this year and this grant helps the Trustees to maintain this room to modern standards.”

Fowlmere Village Hall is available for hire by the local community and surrounding villages which includes being used as a venue for fundraising events and NHS blood donor sessions.

Bright, direct sunlight can prevent activities being carried out successfully in the hall, such as presentations which cannot be seen clearly on a screen, and sometimes the playing of sport is hindered.

The windows at the hall are very high, so the Management Committee plan to install remote-controlled blinds to solve the issues caused by direct sunlight. Total cost is £8,298, of which £2,000 will come from the District Council’s Community chest fund.

More than £80,000 was given in Community Chest grants by the Council in 2023 to 54 voluntary and community sector groups, charities, and public sector bodies across South Cambridgeshire to help further improve the quality of life for residents.

• To find out more visit: Community Chest Grants - South Cambs District Council (scambs.gov.uk)