- Area:
- South East England
- Programme:
- Community Buildings
- Release date:
- 30 3 2009
Nine communities across the South East are today sharing news that will offset the economic gloom as over £2.5 million from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) is being awarded to regenerate facilities and revitalise village life.
As small communities struggle through the credit crunch, BIG is offering vital support with 55 awards worth £18,815,571 for bricks and mortar investments across England.
The money, from BIG’s Community Buildings programme, will be used to give village halls and community centres a much-needed facelift, or rebuild them from scratch.
Alison Rowe, Big Lottery Fund Head of the South East, said: “These buildings are often the heart and soul of the community, but many have fallen into disrepair or are unable to keep up with demand. In these difficult economic times, the value of community is higher than ever, and we are delighted to support projects that will enable people to pull together and make the most of facilities right on their doorsteps.”
Among those celebrating are the residents of Kingston, near Lewes, East Sussex, receiving a grant of £325,000 to replace an old sports pavilion that has been closed for safety reasons with a multi-purpose community hub.
Located on the village green, Kingston Community Pavilion will comprise a large hall, small meeting room, kitchen, toilets, changing rooms and a covered verandah. The new building will enable sporting activities to expand, as well as new activities such as visiting post office and library services, yoga classes and coffee mornings.
Jackie Rowland, Chair of Kingston Parish Council, who are leading the project, said:
“Over the hills and far away
Eight villages and nowhere to play
Nowhere to shop, say ‘how are you?’
The Big Lottery Fund grant is a dream come true.
“It is great in the present difficult time that the Big Lottery Fund is supporting grass root village projects. Kingston Community Pavilion will benefit our entire community by providing first-class facilities for tennis, football and cricket, as well as the opportunity for mothers with young children, elderly residents and people with disabilities to meet and socialise.”
Also celebrating the good news, the residents Over Wallop and Nether Wallop receive a grant of £243,995 to refurbish the Wallops Parish Hall, with improvements including a new roof, windows, insulation, damp-proofing, new lighting and heating system.
As well as being more accessible and sustainable, the new building will provide services for the whole community, and particularly young people, elderly and isolated villagers and young parents. Activities on offer will include dog-training classes, drama and dance groups, WI, afternoon teas for older residents and a crèche. Building work will begin in the summer, and it is hoped the new hall will open next year.
Lindsay Murray-Twinn, Chairman of the Wallops Parish Hall Management Committee, said: “We are delighted to receive the Big Lottery Fund grant, which will help to regenerate the heart and social life of our community and give us a building to use with pride.
"The current building was built in the 1940s, and becomes cold and damp during the winter, deterring many groups from meeting there. We hope the grant will transform our tired old hall into a popular social venue for dances and weddings as well as activities for the communities of Over Wallop and Nether Wallop."
The table below lists all nine South East projects receiving awards in today’s announcement:
| Project |
Location |
Award |
| Kingston Community Pavilion |
Kingston, Lewes, East Sussex |
£325,000 |
| Crowborough Community Centre |
Crowborough, Wealden, East Sussex |
£299,325 |
| Milford Millennium Hall and Community Centre |
Milford-on-Sea, New Forest, Hampshire |
£475,000 |
| Wallops Parish Hall Refurbishment |
Wallops, Test Valley, Hampshire |
£243,995 |
| Phoenix Community Project |
Dover, Kent |
£350,029 |
| Aylesham and Snowdown Social Welfare Scheme |
Dover, Kent |
£477,050 |
| Parkwood Community Centre |
Parkwood, Medway |
£496,000 |
| Boxgrove Village Hall |
Boxgrove, Chichester, West Sussex |
£300,000 |
| Fishbourne Community Project |
Fishbourne, Chichester, West Sussex |
£231,000 |
Further Information
Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888
Out of hours contact: 07867 500 572
Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030
Textphone: 0845 6021 659
Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Notes to Editors
- Community Buildings is dedicated to investing in buildings that give communities a chance to improve their quality of life and meet local needs, by offering a range of activities and services open to a broad range of people.
- Up to £50 million is being distributed across England over three years with grants of £50,000 to £500,000 available.
- The programme opened for applications in June 2006. 200 applicants were invited to submit stage 2 applications and development funding was awarded to some projects.
- The programme is now closed for applications.
- The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out half the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
- BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since June 2004. The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
- Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £22 billion has now been raised and more than 300,500 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.
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