THE residents of Altarnun once again came together for a very successful craft and cake sale in the church hall recently, raising more funds for the hall refurbishment project.

Co-ordinator of the restoration group and Parochial Church Council member Anne Langley told the Post: “The market went quite well, there was a good turnout, it was a little disappointing compared to other events we have held but wasn’t too bad.

“The thing you have to know about this market is that it really is a local market. Everyone who joins in has to live in the geographical parish. I ran the market at Coads Green for ten years and you always had those who ‘did the rounds’ but here everyone is local, everything on offer is either locally made or grown in the village. Actually, many of the craft items are made at our knit and natter meetings.”

Anne said the markets are part of a larger collection of events that have taken place recently to help raise funds for necessary work being carried out on the church hall.

“It is a big project to get the roof done, which is our next aim. We have already had the electrics done — they looked like spaghetti hanging down, it wasn’t safe — but that’s all sorted now and we are hoping to update the kitchen soon. We have also had all our planning permissions approved. It is all coming together, just slowly!”

A number of local events have fed into the impressive £5,000 raised so far towards the project.

Anne herself completed a sponsored walk raising £1,000, and £2,000 was donated following the sad passing of Gordon Sandercock, with other events including a golden wedding anniversary adding £200 and a bingo raising £250, not forgetting the £161 raised from the last three markets.

Anne said: “It really is a wonderful community here in Altarnun with everyone working together.”

Anne said the hall is of great importance to the village and serves many roles, not just as a space to hire or host events but as a hub for social loneliness and importantly as the village’s emergency hub.

“The hall is of great importance to the village and can host a variety of events. Although we have a village hall it has been great to see the church hall so in demand with many activities taking place here.

“This hall is that it is actually the village’s emergency centre, making it an important asset to protect. One thing that does make me laugh though is the hall is technically classes as a ‘zone three’ flood risk and about eight years ago when the village flooded people were evacuated here, the biggest flood risk in the village which, ironically, didn’t flood that time!”

Anne thanked everyone who supported the event and to those who continue to support the work of the church hall restoration project committee.