Volunteers raise the roof (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Repairs begin on much-loved Cricklade community hall

11:00am Wednesday 31st October 2012 in News By Liz Day

AFTER almost two years of intensive fundraising, volunteers have finally collected the £170,000 needed to raise the roof of a much-loved community hall in Cricklade.

A fundraising campaign was launched for urgent repairs of the Jenner Hall’s roof in December 2011. Work finally began on the building last week and it is hoped the project will be finished before Christmas.

Fundraising co-ordinator Vicky McIntosh said the grade two listed building had fallen into disrepair. "The tiles were old and misaligned, so the roof was leaking constantly," she said.

Members of the Jenner Hall Community Trust initially anticipated the work would cost £125,000 to rebuild the roof of both the main hall and the north hall, but as the plans were extended to include the master’s house, the estimated cost was increased to £169,000.

The trust received major grants from Hills PLC and the SITA Trust, which supports community and environmental improvement projects. Cricklade Town Council also donated £1,000 to the project.

The Raise the Roof committee ran several money making projects including a "buy a roof tile" scheme and small change money jars, which raised more than £500 during the last year.

Vicky said the work could not have been undertaken without the support of the local community. "The trustees want to thank local people and businesses who have worked with us to help raise funds to ensure we could make the building safe and sustainable for future generations of the residents of Cricklade and beyond," she said.

She explained how the community hall played a crucial role in the town. "It is the life blood of the community," she said. "It is particularly valuable to elderly people, many of whom use the facilities three or four times a week."

The trustees are also hoping to include a time capsule in the roof space. "We wish to involve pupils from St Sampson’s School in the project," Vicky added. "We will also have input from members of the community who went to Jenner Hall School."

Anyone who would like to find out more, or who went to Jenner Hall School can contact Vicky on 01793 759338.