REFURBISHMENT of community facilities in Ninebanks has been completed.
Ninebanks Church and Community Hall has a newly refurbished kitchen and meeting room, which was funded by local residents, businesses, and both North-East-based and national charitable organisations.
£40,000 was raised for the improvements which took three months to complete, taking place from January until mid-April.
The hall has been a focal point in the community since it was built in 1934, and this refurbishment will enable it to continue to be so for years to come.
Members of the local community held an opening ceremony on Friday, May 13.
Valerie Coulson opened the kitchen and meeting room, Marina Wallace gave a short talk on the history of the hall and Helen Manson thanked everyone involved in helping to raise the money for the project.
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"We're so pleased that the importance of the hall to our small rural community has been recognised by so many local people and businesses and national, North Eastern and local charitable organisations and we would like to express our thanks to everyone," said Helen.
Local people came along to celebrate the opening and to have a look at the new facilities.
Helen said the meeting room had a 'complete refurbishment', with walls taken off, insulated and replaced, new carpets put down and new lights installed.
The brand-new kitchen has new appliances and has already been used for a coffee morning, bingo evening, and a Jubilee celebration.
Helen said: "The existing facilities were very dilapidated, the meeting room was cold and damp so it was unusable."
She added: "Now it looks great, it's functional, it's a lovely warm room that can be used - that's what we needed as a community."
She said everyone involved in Ninebanks Church and Community Hall is from the local community.
The Community Hall is managed by the local church, Whitfield with Nine Banks Parochial Church Council (PCC).
She said local businesses were involved with refurbishing the kitchen and meeting room.
Local builders were employed, along with a business based in Hexham which fitted the new carpets.
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