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From Norfolk RCC

Like many rural villages in Norfolk Great Dunham has lost its local shop, post office, pub and garage. It is also poorly served by local transport making local people reliant on access to a car. Great Dunham is part of the Launditch electoral ward (population 2,090) and has a population of approximately 360.

The present hall is an early 1970’s prefabricated ‘Arcon’ structure, containing asbestos, with an added on small kitchen and two single toilets. The hall is very small measuring 10.2m x 6.9m with maximum seating for 50 people. The building is in a poor state and does not meet legislation for disabled users. As well as being small it is ill equipped with no space for any form of storage, has poor heating and insulation and is generally uncomfortable for users despite the committee’s best efforts to make it as welcoming as possible for the local community.

Despite the poor condition of the hall it still manages to provide a youth club, space for the local village school for drama, music, PE classes and SAT tests, a Friendship group, Pilates, Table Tennis Club and many adhoc fundraising and social events throughout the year.

It is testament to the desire of the community to have a central community hub that they still continue to use the current hall.

In 2001 the committee started the process of drawing up plans and support for a new village hall. Initial thoughts to increase the size of the existing hall by adding an extension but were advised against this by builders due to the condition of the current hall.

The committee conducted a feesiblity study and visited new build village halls who had been successful in securing Big Lottery funding including Haddiscoe, Foulsham and Wood Norton.

Consultation was carried in 2005 to find out what services and facilities the community would like to see in a new hall. Regular feedback was given via the local newsletter on progress of the project.

The committee sought advice for the development of their project from the NRCC as well as other agencies, including Breckland District Council, Iceni, the Energy Saving Trust, including support for completion of their application to the Big Lottery Fund for the Community Buildings Fund. A public meeting was held in November 2006 with plans of the new hall on view throughout for the community to see and the result was that the majority were in favour of the project and proposed design.

In April 2007 the committee submitted their application for £345,345.00 to the Community Buildings Fund. The length of time the application process took meant that the project was left with a shortfall due to increased costs and reduced price for the sale of the land on which the existing hall stands.

The Committee is therefore very grateful for the subsequent award from the Norfolk County Council Capital Grant Aid Scheme for Voluntary Village Halls and Community Centre Projects which helped make up this shortfall and realise this project.

In April 2009 building has just started on their new hall after 8 years of commitment, hard work and determination – “the Committee are very happy and relieved that we can now go ahead and provide the amenities and services that the community needs and deserves”.