A HELPING hand from the community in Lydgate has restored the village’s historic Parish Hall to its former glory and given it a new lease of life for the future.
In 2019, members of the community who were concerned about the hall’s future came together to form the charity Lydgate Community Association (LCA).
The six trustees set about organising received some much-needed care and attention for the hall to revamp it and transform it into a community hub.
They had just £1,500 to fix the leaky roof and walls, replace the worn-out kitchen and toilets, redecorate and remove clutter and rubbish, among other things.
So they put out an appeal to local businesses and individuals and within weeks had received £6,000 and countless offers of help.
The volunteers got to work cleaning, painting, polishing, plastering and carrying out repairs to the roof and facilities as well as tidying up the clutter and clearing rubbish.
The big hall was transformed into a clean, bright space which hosts numerous groups and activities while the kitchen and toilets are now modern and safe.
Jennifer Greenwood, chair of LCA, explained: “We want to respect Lydgate Parish Hall history but also create a community amenity fit for the 21st century.
“The hall was gifted to the village as long ago as 1763. It was built as a school for the growing population and paid for by a group of mill owners and businessmen.
“That building fell into disrepair and the present one replaced it 150 years ago.
“When the school moved to modern premises in 1969, it was sold to the church, who still own the building.
“It takes a lot of upkeep and it had fallen into disrepair.
“We’re delighted the community has come together to help restore it. It is our heritage, which we cherish, but it is also our future.”
The new-look hall was unveiled at a special event in September with Lydgate Band entertaining as guests enjoyed Prosecco, cakes, sandwiches, scones and more.
There was also a variety of stalls and displays including the work of Lydgate Stitchers, from knitting and embroidery to prints and texture work.
In pride of place in the revamped big hall is the Stitchers’ latest wall hanging, ‘Lydgate Woven in Time’ which depicts various historical events, buildings, local activities and views across the village over the years.
It was created by members of the group, led by Celia Gledsdale, and inspired by original painting by artist Jill Harrison, and took about three years to complete due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It is the third wall hanging produced by the group after their ‘Remembered in Thread’ creation for Remembrance Day in 2012 and ‘Dawn Til Dusk’ which hangs in The White Hart.
Other stalls included upcycled and recycled items, such as candles, diffusers, Christmas stockings and decorations, created as part of St Anne’s vision to become a gold standard eco church.
And there was an eco stand as part of the Great Big Green Week, asking visitors to make a pledge to help the planet by making simple changes to their lifestyles and habits.
• You can support Lydgate Parish Hall by becoming a member of Lydgate Community Association.
By paying just £1 per month you would give the LCA regular income to help plan ahead (subscription renewable every October).
For more information visit www.lydgateparishhall.org.uk
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