A VILLAGE hall that has served the community since the 1920s is to be replaced with a new community centre “for the 21st century” after being awarded a lottery grant of £717,906.

Garway Village Hall Trustees announced this week that Big Lottery Fund had awarded the grant to Garway Village Hall Charity to build a new community centre in the parish that could benefit up to 800 people.

The Big Lottery Fund Reaching Communities Buildings stated that: “Garway Village Hall Charity received the award to build a new village hall and community resource including a health and social care outreach centre, café and a modern hall and meeting facility.”

Malcolm Howard, chair of the trustees, said “We are over the moon that the Big Lottery Fund has allocated such a magnificent grant to Garway Village Hall Charity.

“The centre will enable the community to move forward and bring to life the services and activities that we have planned and will enrich life in Garway both now and for future generations.”

The chair of the project management group stated that the Community Centre will “enable local people to come together, to develop and participate in a whole range of services, activities and functions.

“It will be fit for the 21st century– a Passivhaus design to minimise running costs, to be welcoming, multi-use, energy efficient and warm.”

The design for the new centre was awarded to architects Simmonds Mills. A detailed design was prepared and a detailed planning application was submitted to Hereford planning department in May and was approved in September, together with an outline planning application for development of the existing village hall site.

The new community centre will be built on a site adjacent to Garway Primary School and opposite the existing village hall which has served the community well since the 1920’s

The new centre is expected to benefit up to 800 people from the local area, in particular older people, young people and those without transport.

The new centre will provide a bright airy space with a café, bar and kitchen, health and social care outreach centre, live entertainment and sports facilities which will make the centre a hub for the community now and for many generations to come.