MORE than 300 people turned out to the official opening of Cookley’s newly built £945,000 village hall and sports club.

Reverend Geoffrey Shilvock gave a few words of thanks to the hall’s sponsors, project team and helpers. He then introduced former Wyre Forest MP, Dr Richard Taylor, who opened the hall along with Mary Carpenter, the daughter-in-law of Maude Carpenter, who had given the village the land on which the previous parish hall was built.

Dr Taylor cut the ribbon across the front doors and led everyone into the building.

About 300 villagers as well as representatives of sponsoring bodies such as the Big Lottery Fund, Cory Environmental, the RD Turner Trust and Titan Steel Wheels toured the building to view the club lounge, decked area, veranda, meeting rooms, snooker rooms and hall.

The crowd was entertained before and after the event on Saturday, February 5, by Foxs morris dancers. After the tour, children from Cookley Sebright Primary School sang before a display by Cookley Amateur Dramatic Society. In the evening there was a disco with a singer.

David Bareford, secretary of the Cookley Playing Field and Village Hall Association, said: “Everyone appeared to enjoy themselves.

"A big thank you to Geoffrey Shilvock for starting the process as well as the project team and many other volunteers who helped to complete the project, especially Joyce Allen who spent over 85 hours altering the curtains made for the old parish hall so as they fitted the windows of the new hall.”