09/07/2025
Here is a copy of the article that will be appearing in the next issue of the Gunnislake Gateway regarding the latest updates about the refurbishment:
Since the last edition of Gateway, the Village Hall has been awarded a grant from Cornwall Council’s Good Growth Fund to pay for the professional fees to evaluate the cost of carrying out the planned refurbishment works that were the subject of the eight public consultation sessions between October last year and this January. The evaluation has been completed, and we now need to start raising the money to pay for the refurbishment.
Included in the Consultation presentation were notes on the priorities to be undertaken within the refurbishment plans. Priority number 1 was to make the building watertight. The roof needs to be repaired to stop the leaks, and the guttering replaced to stop damp penetrating the walls, particularly downstairs in the Lower Hall. To do this, scaffolding will have to be erected over the whole building. The cost of just this element of the refurbishment will be about £55,000. The roof is large and South facing. Installing solar panels would provide all the future power needs of the Hall, and potentially, income from selling the excess. This will need an investment of £24,000. Other areas are to upgrade toilets and entrances for disabled access, change the layouts to provide flexible multi use spaces downstairs, upgrade insulation and safety measures to comply with current Building Regulations, and many other works and changes associated with these elements.
We need to raise a lot of money. We hope that most will come from successful grant applications, which we are about to begin. However, these applications are more likely to be successful if we show that we have been able to raise money from donations and support of activities by our community. The Management Committee need help to do this.
If you are able to help with ideas and organising fund raising activities, please contact us.
