A MUCH used hall in Bere Alston is getting a makeover thanks to an Awards for All grant of £8,950.

The Trinity Hall is used by many groups in the village, including the toddler group, craft club and for activities associated with the church next door.

More than £8,000 has been raised by the community itself through coffee mornings, curry evenings and other events and now with the lottery grant to the parochial church council of Bere Ferrers with Bere Alston, the kitchen can be replaced and the hall painted.

Bere Alston vicar the Rev Nick Law said the hall used to be a schoolroom and was well used, complementing the parish hall in the village. There was something going on most days.

'All the different users of the hall got together and raised a lump sum which has now been matched by the lottery,' he said. 'I think it helped that we asked for 50% rather than 90% of the total funds.

'The kitchen units have been ordered and we hope to get the work completed over the summer.'

Some 64 projects in the South West have benefitted in the latest round of awards for all grants with £490,000 being given out.

The funding programme offers between £300 and £10,000 to social and environmental projects that will benefit local communities and make a real difference to those most in need.Voluntary and community groups, schools, health organisations and parish and town councils can all apply.