A village recreational hall near York has received a £1,500 boost from a major housebuilder.

Barratt Developments Yorkshire East, has donated £1,500 to Wigginton Recreation Hall to enable them to improve their facilities.

Wigginton Recreation Hall is a registered charity that manages the village hall on behalf of the community. The original recreation hall was built in 1926 but was destroyed by fire in 1969 and then rebuilt a year later. Over time, significant upgrades, extensions and improvements have been made including roof renewal, fire precautions, LED lighting, sound insulation and solar panels. In 2022, the main hall was renamed ‘The Michael Haseltine Hall’ in recognition of the retiring secretary.

The recreation hall offers a variety of facilities, including two halls that can be used separately or together, a fully equipped kitchen, and a free to use meeting room for local voluntary organisations and member group committee meetings. In addition, the space accommodates both regular bookings, NHS Blood Donor and Vaccination sessions and one-time events, such as birthdays and small gatherings.

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The contribution was provided to Wigginton Recreation Hall through Barratt & David Wilson Developments Yorkshire East’s' Community Fund initiative, which enables their internal Charity Committee to select a different charity each month. This initiative allows Barratt Developments Yorkshire East to highlight the outstanding charitable efforts within local communities.

Dave Geary, the retiring Chairman of the Management Committee at Wigginton Recreation Hall, said: “Thanks to the donation, we've been able to order a new external uPVC door, matching the colour of our entrance doors. Additionally, we'll use the remaining donation to acquire a wall-mounted letterbox. This supports our goal of eliminating the need for external painting and aligns with our recent £50,000 project to upgrade the community hall's building, environment, and energy efficiency.”

Daniel Smith, Managing Director of Barratt & David Wilson Homes Yorkshire East, said “We are honoured to be able to support Wigginton Recreation Hall and the amazing amenities that they have with this donation. Wigginton Recreation Hall has been providing facilities to people in York for almost 100 years, which is comforting to know that these facilities are available for the residents in the areas we build.

“With this donation, our aim is to assist Wigginton Recreation Hall in offering the extensive amenities they provide that create a significant difference to the local community.”