Village rallies round in battle to improve hall

Local Brownies helped to officially launch a campaign this week,

The Memorial Hall is one of the oldest in the area - a memorial to those from the village who fell in the 1914-18 war and erected in the early 1920s.

Plans to build a new hall in the village had to be abandoned after grant applications fell through.

The hall committee is trying to raise £350,000 for a complete refurbishment and new modern extension. Parish councllor Jennifer Als admitted: “We need all the help we can get.”

She explained: “In 2006 Peasmarsh published its Parish Plan. The primary concern in the village was the condition of the Memorial Hall which has continued to deteriorate. Because of its dilapidated state and lack of modern conveniences people are unable to use it as they wish.

“Since then much work has been done, seeking funds and drawing up plans for the refurbishment of the hall so that Peasmarsh residents have a community building fit to meet today’s needs.

“Peasmarsh Parish Council is in the process of applying to the Big Lottery Reaching Communities – Community Buildings Fund to enable the work to be carried out.

“We obviously need to raise money locally as well and over the past couple of years small fundraising efforts in the village have raised over £10,000. But with a target of about £350,000 we have a long way to go. Rother has promised us £25,000, but if we aren’t able to start the work soon we might well lose that.”

She added: “We officially launched the campaign on Monday. With the help of the local Brownie Pack we erected a banner with a fund raising thermometer outside the hall.”

Local people now plan to step up the campaign by handing out leaflets outside Jempsons supermarket in the village .

Jempsons has already got behind the campaign by making a donation.