Volunteers give Middleton Village Hall a much needed makeover

A GROUP of volunteers have given their village hall a mini-makeover which they hope will last until a new facility is built in about five years.
People in Middleton-in-Teesdale have ambitious plans to build a new village hall worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, but until that becomes a reality they have to make do with a building that is showing its age.
Not satisfied with the mouldy toilet walls and poor state of the kitchen, 11 volunteers spent their weekend redecorating.
Hall committee member and organiser of the village toddler group Faye Docherty said: “We've given everything a good clean and painted all the walls and cupboards. In the toilets we had help to skim the walls and repainted them. We’ve just brightened it up really.”
Paint and other materials for the spruce up were provided by the Stephen Mitchell Memorial Fund.
Meanwhile, the committee is gearing up its fundraising efforts for the new hall to complement funds  already committed by Durham County Council.
Committee chairman Julian Robinson is positive they will be able to raise the money they need to construct the new hall, which is to be
built behind the village fire station.
He said: “It is in its early stages. We have signed a five-year lease on the existing building as an interim measure and we have £143,000 from the county council as a starting point. Hopefully, we think five years is enough to raise the money needed.
“We are putting a business plan together and we will be doing a full community survey to get the information we need to take to funders.”
The survey will collect data on demographics, as well as the type of activities villagers would like to see at the new hall.
The committee has already secured the buy-in of parish councillors, school governors and the village vicar for their plans.
The current facility, Mr Robinson said, is home to a mum and toddler group, Rainbows, Brownies, Scouts, Cubs, Beavers, Women’s Institute and a martial arts club.
Middleton Primary School holds plays and its nativity performance there and parents use it as a venue for children’s parties. An annual flower show and other community events are also hosted inside.
Mr Robinson added: “It is busy most days of the week. I think if we have a new one it will be well used.”
The plan is to provide a multi-use venue that will tap into the nearby cricket pavilion and fields so that people can enjoy outdoor sports such as football, as well as indoor sports such as badminton.
Through the provision of these activities, the committee believes it will be able to secure cash from Sports England to help build the hall.
With the addition of a function room, the new hall would attract extra events such as weddings to create more income for the maintenance of the site, Mr Robinson said.
So far the committee has raised almost £1,400 through community events such as a coffee morning, a colour run and a sponsored walk.
People who took part in the hall’s spruce up were Julian Robinson, Faye and Craig Docherty, Julia Longstaff, Christine Gilbert, Ernest Craggs, Lyn McLoughlin, Michelle Mitchell, Natalie Watson, Grace Crawford and Kelly Manser.