A village hall is to hold its first ever farmers market next month after securing council support towards a major refurbishment.

Thurlow Village Hall was built 60 years ago this year. A new committee of five local residents was elected in January with the aim of delivering improvements to increase the number of people using the hall.

St Edmundsbury Borough Cllr Robert Clifton-Brown has kicked started the fund-raising after donating £1,200 from his locality budget.

Chairman of the village hall committee Rosalyn Bunting said: “We are extremely grateful to Cllr Clifton-Brown for his support. This is the first money to come in and hopefully his grant will make it easier to secure funding from other sources.

The hall is already popular – we have quite a few dance classes, and some local ball room dancers who sometimes hire the hall for practice. There is a toddler group, Thurlow Primary School has used the hall for its Christmas Bazaar as well as for productions and the WI, Thurlow Fayre, the Gardening Club and two parish councils meet here. Local and general elections are held here and the hall is sometimes hired for weddings and children’s parties.

“It has, however, been many years since the village hall has had significant investment, and it now needs new central heating, a new kitchen, insulation and more. The building needs to be updated and refurbished.” 

“We want the hall to be able to serve the community more effectively and for more people to use it.”

Cllr Clifton-Brown’s grant will be used to pay for new flooring at the entrance hall and toilets.

“I am delighted to be able to show my support and to help kick start this project to revitalise Thurlow Village Hall,” said Cllr Clifton-Brown who represents the Withersfield ward.

“ I am very impressed to hear that the village hall will hold its first ever farmers market on 25 April from 10am to 1pm and I hope that this is just the start of more activities to bring the young and old of our community together.”

Cllr Clifton-Brown has also given £509 from his locality funding for picnic tables and benches on the playing fields at Thurlow Sports Club.