WEST Devon village halls in urgent need of improvements may benefit as a result of a project by the Devon Federation of WIs.

This month the Federation launched a scheme involving all 300 institutes to look at energy use in village halls, which is where most WIs hold their local meetings. The aim is to identify ways to save money and to offer advice on obtaining funding and free advice to make improvements.

Project co-ordinator, Kate Norbury, said a self-analysing, scored questionnaire sent to all branches, who were asked to liaise with village hall committees.

Out of of 110 replies so far received, Whitchurch, Milton Abbot and Meeth village halls were thought to be in need of urgent attention.

Doreen Atkinson, a Milton Abbot WI member who is also secretary of the village hall management committee, said they hoped they might get some helpful advice.

'We have just had a lottery grant application for the hall turned down - although they did complement us on a wonderful application!

'We are now submitting a smaller bid in the hope that we might be able to replace the roof and insulate it and add a disabled toilet,' said Doreen.

The roof of the hall is corrugated iron, built in 1926 and repeatedly patched.

Doreen said: 'It leaks so badly you have to be careful where you put your chair.

'A tremendous amount is wasted on heating, as it all goes out through the roof.

'It is a much loved and used hall, but we are a small village with an elderly population and we can't raise the kind of money needed.'

In Whitchurch it is a similar story and residents are trying to raise money to re-build the village hall.

The wooden village hall in Meeth has seen better days, but any problems are due to its age and construction, according to the treasurer to the village hall committee, Janet Chapman.

'It is an old Nissen hut which has been there for years and has a corrugated roof, so insulation wouldn't be feasible. It is heated by two heaters in the roof, but it doesn't get too cold.

'The upkeep is difficult and obviously it would be very nice to have a new, modern hall.

'But with the restricted amount of use that it gets in this small parish it would be hard to justify raising that kind of money.'

Mrs Chapman said there was a lot of support for the village hall and residents would be 'lost' without it.

Mrs Chapman said: 'Any help or advice would be appreciated as it is the only facility in the village.'

WI project co-ordinator Kate Norbury said there has been enthusiastic support for the project from the Local Agenda 21 Network, the Village Hall Unit of the Comunity Council of Devon, the National Energy Agency, Global Action Plan and Devon County Council's Sustainability and Energy Manager, together with help from the South West Energy Group of the University of Exeter.

The Devon Federation hopes that if this pilot project is successful it will be used as a blue print for other WIs across the country.

It is also hoped those involved will be encouraged to look into energy savings in their own homes.