TALFOURDS VOLUNTARY PROJECT
"Make a Difference Day" 29th October 2005
CRANHAM VILLAGE COMMUNITY HALL
The Front Lane Community Hall in Cranham is a social centre used by many local residents, not only for a variety of activities, but also to provide a communal centre to make contact with other local residents and begin new friendships.
The hall provides a range of activities for all ages such as Ballet Dancing, Karate and Yoga. It also acts as a meeting place for an over 60’s group call SMILE with the youngest member at present is 70 and the oldest 92!
The hall had been constantly vandalised and seriously neglected and in order to secure vitally required future lettings for income, it required intervention and funding.
Valerie Morris a local resident and member of The Regeneration Group contacted the Voluntary Community Action Havering bureau to ask for their project to be considered in the CSV “Make A Difference Day” held on the 29th October 2005. The aim of the project was to restore the hall and car park to an inviting place for the local community to use rather than somewhere for the local vandals to continue their work
The VCAH were celebrating their 10th year of “Make A Difference Day” and Jackie Shallow the Practice Manager from Talfourds contacted them to offer their services for a local project.
30 Volunteers: Solicitors, Paralegals, Cashiers, Secretaries, all from Talfourds, together with press ganged members of their families, along with local residents and Councillors Gillian Ford and June Alexander attended the site and made a real difference! Volunteer Jackie King provided refreshments for the workers and the local bakers donated cakes.
Guy Selfe and Andy Holden from the London Borough of Havering assisted the project by organising the removal of the offensive graffiti, repairing the damaged wall and provided the funding for urgently required materials.
The volunteers provided the “hands on dirty work” and cleared away the undergrowth and overhanging bramble, collected the rubbish and swept the car park, then proceeded to paint the entire perimeter of the car park. The results were amazing.
The project has now revitalised the local community spirit and the Regeneration Group are keen to continue the upkeep of the premises.
Together we made a difference!