Groups using Whittington Village Hall are to benefit from a purpose-built storage area, thanks to the generosity of shoppers at the nearby Tamworth Co-op convenience store.
Phil Drury, manager of Tamworth Co-op’s convenience store in Whittington, hands over the cheque to Garry Hyde, chairman of Whittington Village Hall Management Committee. Also pictured are some of the regulars who use the hall.The hall hosts a wide variety of activities including keep fit classes, zumba, mini Mambo, bridge, Tai Chi, stroke support, ballroom/sequence dancing, craft and computer classes, amateur dramatics and badminton.
It is also home to the village flower club, WI group and Wednesday Club.
The downside is that storage space is at a premium. However, that is about to change because of a very welcome windfall.
The £317 received from the Tamworth Co-op, plus grants from Whittington Parish Council and Staffordshire County Council mean there will soon be plenty of space to securely store all property belonging to the various groups.
Garry Hyde, chairman of Whittington Village Hall Management Committee, says the new area will make a huge difference.
“Our rates are among the lowest in the area and as a result the hall has become extremely popular.
The groups are crying out for more space to keep their belongings safe and this will make things so much easier for them,” said Mr Hyde.
“We’ve had help from two councils, but accessing funds is becoming more and more difficult. I’d like to thank the Tamworth Co-op for this donation. We will be highlighting the part they played on our notice board near the entrance to the hall.”
The money is part of the Tamworth Co-op’s Community Dividend Fund and was raised by shoppers at the Whittington convenience store donating their dividends to the village hall.
A host of organisations receive a share of the five-figure sum the fund provides each year.
Phil Drury, manager of the Tamworth Co-op convenience store in Whittington, was delighted the cash was going to such a good cause.
“I’m amazed by the number of activities going on in the village hall,” he said.
“It really is the hub of the community and a great cause for the Tamworth Co-op to support.’