St. John's Parochial Church Council has been awarded a grant of more than £28,000 from the Severn Trent Community Fund to support its ongoing restoration efforts.

The Church Council’s Outreach Team is dedicated to organising regular events for local residents at the hall, which was gifted to the community in 1911 by the Duke of Portland. For many years, the hall stood unused, until the church group recognised the growing need for community support. Eleven years ago, they established a foodbank to help families in the area. Since then, the team has worked tirelessly to restore the building and transform it into a welcoming space for all.

Today, the hall hosts a variety of community activities, including coffee mornings, dementia-friendly sessions, concerts, and a book shed to name but a few. These events aim to combat loneliness and foster a sense of connection among residents. It is also available to hire!

The recent grant has been pivotal in advancing the restoration, particularly in upgrading the front of the building and installing new doors. Without this crucial work, the hall and its services were at risk of closure.

A spokesperson for St. John’s Parochial Church Council expressed their gratitude: “The church and the hall are both long-standing landmarks in our village. When we launched the Outreach Project, it became clear that the hall was in urgent need of repairs to remain accessible to the community. We’re incredibly thankful to Severn Trent’s Community Fund for their significant contribution, which has been vital in funding the restoration work alongside other funders. Without it, the hall would have been forced to close.

“This project complements other ongoing efforts, such as the sensory garden, which is already making a meaningful difference, particularly for those with disabilities. We want to ensure that everyone in our community feels welcome, as the building was a gift for all of us to enjoy.”

The Outreach project, which is overseen by St John Parochial Church Council, is run mainly by volunteers, they are constantly looking for new volunteers to support their efforts, if interested contact Elaine at stjohnsfoodb@gmail.com

Sue Heyes, Severn Trent Community Fund Officer said: “We’re delighted to be one of the organisations supporting St Johns Parochial Church Council, which is a vital group that do great work for so many people across Nottinghamshire. Projects like these are so important in our local communities and really do improve the lives of those they work with.”

Since 2020 and the creation of the Community Fund, Severn Trent has donated over £1.3m to 132 organisations across Nottinghamshire. The water company is not planning on stopping, with it committing to donate a further £10m over the next five years across the whole Severn Trent region.

To find out more about the Severn Trent Community Fund, visit stwater.co.uk and search for Community Fund.