Wethersfield Pavilion Project gets massive boost

CASH has been pouring in from all angles to help fund a massive community project in Wethersfield.

Village fete takings, public donations and community grants totalling more than �150,000 will all go towards the construction of a new pavilion on the western edge of the village.

Project spokesman Jeremy Wells said: "Wethersfield enjoyed its annual family fun day, organised by the Derek Flannery Playing Field Association. With the enthusiastic support of 450 local residents we raised over �2000 towards the pavilion project.

"The aim is to replace the current building on the playing field with a multi-purpose facility suited to the needs of this rural community in the 21st century."

The project has been fortunate to receive a substantial donation from local resident Betty Pygram, whose son died a few years ago, and as a result the pavilion will be named The John Pygram Pavilion.

"Betty's kind contribution has been very much the catalyst that has energised both the project team and the local community to search for further funding," said Mr Wells.

Most recently these efforts have been rewarded by winning a top prize of �100,000 in the community enterprise challenge launched by the Essex Environment Trust.

An offer of �48,000 is also due from Greenfields Community Housing's investment partnership.

A planning application was submitted for the project and after a short public consultation Braintree District Council agreed the designs.

The building will include a main community hall, kitchen, toilets, offices, changing rooms and showers. It will incorporate as many recycled materials as possible, will use rainwater from the roof for flushing toilets and will be heated by ground source heat pump.

The total cost of the project is almost �370,000.

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