A community hall which became a main contact point for some during the pandemic will be given a makeover thanks to a £2,000 cash boost.

Harvel Village Hall has been awarded a grant from Kent Community Foundation.

The village has no public transport links and the hall offers a lifeline to many of the residents.

Ruth Blake, trustee and secretary of the Harvel Village Hall management committee, said: “Our village hall needed some crucial maintenance. Woodworm-riddled wooden planks needed replacing and loose planks refixing. The noticeboard, windows and guttering required painting, we needed a new fire door and the fire exit steps needed rebuilding.”

This building usually hosts coffee mornings, offers toilet facilities for the annual village fete, and takes bookings for celebrations.

With the pandemic halting use, there were insufficient funds to meet ongoing maintenance costs and the committee needed help to make sure the hall would be in a condition to meet the necessary health and safety criteria and continue to be a valuable hub for residents.

Ruth added: “We are over the moon that with the help of a £2,000 grant, the building will be reinvigorated. We look forward to welcoming our first guests.”

Josephine McCartney, chief executive of Kent Community Foundation, said: “Kent Community Foundation is proud to support grassroots charities and small organisations who are making a real difference to the community.

"We were impressed that during lockdown, the village hall noticeboard had been used as a main contact point for anyone without a computer to follow the latest news and advice with phone numbers for those who might be able to offer additional help for vulnerable residents.

"They explained that their hall was a community asset for the village residents and without their usual source of income they desperately needed financial support to make sure it’s safe for use."

She added: “Kent Community Foundation receives hundreds of applications each month and many are from community groups who have never applied for support before. We have a team of experts who can advise on the application process. If you know of a community group or small charity who need help, please do suggest they get in touch with us.”

Call the funding team on 01303 814500 for more information.

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