St Ann’s Parish Hall is getting an £85,000 makeover

Date published: 07/11/2007

Thanks to two successful grant applications, St Ann’s Parish Hall, Belfield, will be getting a facelift. The Pennines Township Fund, Rochdale Council, has just awarded St Ann’s Parochial Church Council (PCC) £7,000 for new central heating and the Garfield Weston Foundation has approved £5,000 towards refurbishment. These new funds, along with the £72,000 the PCC have raised over the past 20 years with a mini-lotto, will mean St Ann’s can finally put their plans for improvement into action.

The refurbishment plans include refurbished toilets, a new heating system, new flooring, new furniture and decorating. Margaret Uttley of St Ann’s PCC commented: "It is wonderful that we are finally able to get started on the scheme and to see our hard work of the past 20 years come to fruition. We are very grateful to the Pennines Township and Garfield Weston for their generous contributions which are making this work possible".

The Parish Hall is well used by the local community and is home to many local groups including the local Brownies, Guides, St Ann’s Players, Belfield Table Tennis and Belfield Art Group. It is hoped that, with this money, the hall will be better able to meet the needs of the local community and its user groups and will attract new interest as a venue for events such as parties, wedding receptions and community meetings.

Dorothy Kenney, St Ann’s PCC, said: "We see the refurbishment as our big chance to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere and to attract more daytime and week-end users to the hall".

Refurbishment will begin in January 2008.

The PCC are holding an evening event on 14 November 2007 at 7.30pm at St Ann’s Parish Hall, Brocklebank Road, Belfield, to tell the community all about their plans for the Hall. Everyone is welcome. 

The St Ann’s funding applications were supported by the Community Development Officer of the Greater Manchester Diocese and the External Funding Officer, Regeneration amp; Renewal Team, Rochdale Council. If you are a voluntary or community group based in Langley, Belfield, Wardleworth and Hamer, Milkstone amp; Deeplish or Kirkholt and need support with a funding application you too could be eligible for support. Contact: Deborah Clarke, Regeneration amp; Renewal Team, Rochdale MBC.

Email: Deborah.Clarke@Rochdale.Gov.UK

Tel: 01706 752425