AN urgent, final fundraising push has been launched by a West Devon village hall group in an attempt to get a much-needed improvement scheme off the ground.

Buckland Monachorum village hall committee has managed to raise a staggering £70,000 towards an extension project at the hall — but it is just £10,000 short of the sum required to see the scheme through.

Stephen Fryer, hall committee chairman, said: 'Unfortunately, there was one group which had its budget slashed, so they were unable to give us their grant.

'We started fundraising left, right and centre and the situation now is that we have raised another £3,000 ourselves, and we have two or three more grants outstanding.

'We are just trying to close the gap on that £10,000.'

Mr Fryer said the committee would like to be able to give builders the thumbs-up to start work around the end of August — if they miss this start date, the knock-on effect of the delay could have repercussions on some of the grants with time limits.

'We are searching every funding avenue — that extension has to go up, come hell or high water,' said Mr Fryer. 'One way or the other we will get there — we are hoping people will be generous and dig deep into their pockets.'

The committee has contacted every household in the district to tell them of the funding shortfall — meanwhile further events are planned for the hall, including a flower festival this weekend, a jumble sale, jazz evening and table-top sale.

Mr Fryer said the committee faces a tricky balancing act between arranging events to bring money in, working around building contractors' requirements and searching for more grant aid.

'It's like teetering on a knife-edge — we have so much of the funding,' he said.

The village hall is well used for a drop-in centre, playgroup, keep fit classes, the local drama group and bowling club.

There is also a snooker club, which enables members to make use of a 'superb' full-sized snooker table, 24 hours a day.

The extension will provide extra storage space for the playgroup and drama group and for the hall equipment.

'At the moment the poor old playgroup has to lug their stuff up and down, the drama group has to make things outside — it's been okay but we've got to the stage now where we are so busy it's becoming a nightmare shifting things around,' Mr Fryer said.

Anyone who is able to help Buckland Monachorum village hall committee with its fundraising efforts should contact Stephen Fryer on 01822 855336 or treasurer Richard Mabey on 01822 853495.