RESIDENTS of a Stourport estate have taken a first look at their re-vamped community hall.

For the past year members of the Walshes Community Hall Action Group have worked to secure the future of the building.

Residents were invited to an open day on Saturday, October 27, to view the improvements – which have included re-decorating the outside and inside of the facility – and also had the chance to take part in a Halloween fancy-dress competition for under-11s.

The action group is working with current owner Vestia Community Trust – part of Wyre Forest Community Housing (WFCH) – which wants to transfer the building into community ownership.

A deadline of November 30 was set for the action group to present its business plan but, despite setting up a management committee and increasing the use of the facility by about 50 per cent during the year, the group says it needs more time.

Group member Jamie Shaw said the reaction of residents and interest from local groups had been “overwhelmingly positive”.

The Labour Wyre Forest district councillor said: “The majority of people were seeing the inside of the hall for the first time since its re-decoration so it made a big impact on people and the new meeting room attracted an expression of interest for use.

“What people were able to see was what the facility now consists of and what could be done with it.

“For example the new kitchen can help cater for 80 people. There are still things to be done, however, such as refit the toilets.”

The action group’s next step will be to establish a “robust management regime” that would help “drive down costs”.

“We have to put a bid in [to WFCH] to show what has been achieved and how we imagine things moving forward.

We are positive about the work done so far and hopeful for the future,” Mr Shaw added.

He said the re-vamp had included the involvement of the Walshes Youth Club, which uses the hall.

The next public event at the hall will be a Christmas party in December. For more information, visit thewalshes.

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