Press Release

Tuesday 8 July 2008

Burridge Village Hall Refurbishment

The newly refurbished Burridge Village Hall will be officially opened by the Executive Leader of Fareham Borough Council, Councillor Seán Woodward on Saturday 19 July at 2pm.

Residents of Burridge are already benefiting from a refurbishment of their community hall thanks to Fareham Borough Council funding of £300,000. The hall, built in the 1960's had deteriorated and was under used.  The refurbishment has given the hall a new lease of life and it is now being regularly used for aerobics, line dancing, meditation classes and mother & toddler groups.  The Sarisbury Scouts and the Little Gems Pre School will also be using the facility from September.  In addition there’s interest in the hall for children’s parties, wedding receptions, etc.

In 2007, following a public consultation the Council’s Executive, approved funding to refurbish the former dilapidated facility, sports changing rooms and car park, and works commenced last December.  In January 2008 the Burridge Community Association was formed and the trustees worked with Council officers to ensure that the refurbished facility met the needs of the local community.  Hampshire County Council via Sarisbury County Councillor Seán Woodward’s devolved budget provided £4,000 funding for tables and chairs for the refurbished facility.

Executive Leader of Fareham Borough Council, Councillor Seán Woodward, said: “It is always nice to be able to put ‘new life’ into an old and under used community building.  A lot of hard work has been put in to the refurbishment of Burridge Village Hall and I’m delighted to see that it is now a popular community facility.  As well as providing a facility for Burridge it is also likely to prove popular with the wider area including Whiteley to which it is linked via a footpath and cycleway.”

Pat Johnson, Bookings Secretary of the Burridge Community Association, commented: “The hall is looking really great and is starting to be used exactly as it was meant to be, as a facility for the local residents and the Borough.”  

ENDS

For Further Information Contact:

Sue Mills, Publicity Officer, tel: 01329 824518

fax: 01329 821518, e-mail: publicity@fareham.gov.uk