A NEW village hall has opened its doors in Fordingbridge this week after residents raised thousands towards its refurbishment.

A formal ceremony was held on Friday, July 23 to mark the opening of the Sandleheath Village Hall, housed in the recently refurbished St Aldhelm’s church building.

Invited guests included members of the Hampshire County Council, New Forest District Council and the Sandleheath Parish Council, as well as a variety of organisations that contributed to the village hall refurbishment.

The building was transformed from a dilapidated structure to a contemporary village hall following a two-and-a-half-year project.

In late 2018, trustees of a small, local charity took out a 25-year lease on the church building. The trustees were determined to improve the building, whilst preserving its status as a local landmark.

Thanks to multiple grants and contributions, the trustees raised approximately £200,000, including £11,000 donated by members of the Sandleheath community.

In a speech given during the ceremony, chairman of the board of trustees, Keith Bennett, said: “Throughout this process, we not only wanted to create a stylish, modern community amenity, but also to sensitively preserve this much-loved landmark to be enjoyed by generations to come.

“I hope you will agree that we have met both ambitions.”

The following day on Saturday, July 24, a party took place in the village hall and its grounds for all residents to attend.