SCAFFOLDING and safety barriers have been placed around Sampford Courtenay Village Hall as work begins on replacing the roof following a successful funding bid to the lottery.

The work is due to take 10 weeks but the hall will remain open throughout the build for local activities and groups.

The village committee succeeded in its bid for a £150,000 lottery grant in June to save the hall for future generations.

This was added to the £50,000 raised locally through the ‘Roof-Us’ Appeal over the last two and a half years.

Residents of villages around Sampford Courtenay, which only has a population of around 600, joined in the fundraising efforts as the hall attracts users from a wide area.

Activities include WI, the flower club and Exbourne Choir, table tennis, yoga and Tai chi sessions.

The roof repair will include new insulation to improve the environment of the hall, new drainage and chimney stacks.

A local carpenter has also replaced the large Victorian windows.

Member of the fundraising committee David Botting-Page said: ‘The village hall roof appeal has received fantastic support from the local community and even through the pandemic the village hall committee and community volunteers have been able to provide a wide range of fundraising events and activities.

‘The hall will be able to remain open throughout the build and we are getting excited with the prospect of celebrating the completion of the work in a dry and warm hall that can continue to provide a wide range of activities and events for the community.’

Originally the village school, the hall has served the community for over 70 years.

When the school closed in 1950s it was purchased by a group of local people so that it could be retained as a local resource for residents in the parish.

Storm damage a few years ago revealed major problems with the roof and the need for urgent building works.

Chairman of the Sampford Courtenay Village Hall Committee Roger Thompson said it was great to see the work begin.

‘We are absolutely thrilled work is starting today (Monday) with the first of the slates being taken off.

‘The work will take 10 weeks depending on the weather.

‘There is a stipulation that the hall continues to be used throughout the work and we had a barn dance with 50 people over the weekend and managed to get all the cars in so in that respect it’s very much business as usual.

‘The hall will be up to modern building standards after this work and we hope with the improvements it will be in good condition for many years to come.’