A CHARITY campaign to renovate a ‘community asset’ has had a boost thanks to the efforts of the area’s parish council.

The Enham Trust, a disability charity based in Enham Alamein, has set out to raise £28,000 to fund improvements to its shop and cafe, as well as to renovate the Landale Wilson Hall, the village’s community space.

Enham Alamein Parish Council works in partnership with the trust, to help with funding projects which they may otherwise struggle to afford.

The village is “unique”, in that much of what is there is owned by the Enham Trust, but it takes the backing of the wider community to make these assets thrive.

Currently, the charity is focusing on renovations to its shop and cafe, so the council has been hosting fundraisers to boost the pot and accelerate progress on the community hall.

SEE ALSO: Refurb work begins at Enham Trust after £25k TVBC grant

Parish council chairman Leslie Francis said: “We want to landscape the land outside the front of the hall, so that people can enjoy it and, most importantly, [it will] offer car parking spaces.

“During our efforts to do that, Covid came along and our grant applications were no longer possible.

“The Landale Wilson Hall is such a significant part of the community and it needs an awful lot of work. The area outside it is eroded, it’s sunken, and there is inadequate parking.

“I have no doubt at all of the demand that will be on the facility, but it’s not fit for purpose at the moment. There is no pub and no school in the village, so there is no real social space.”

Residents can currently enjoy socialising at The New Enham Club, but the parish council feels the village could benefit from more spaces and, particularly, parking.

Leslie, who has also run the Enham Post Office and Store for the past 18 years, has been promoting the fundraisers in her store as well. She asked artist Alex McGarry to paint a corgi for the Platinum Jubilee, which raised more than £2,000 when raffled off, and with a subsequent Father’s Day raffle, the total so far is estimated to be around £5,000.

When embarking on the fundraising campaign at the start of the year, Leslie also questioned the Post Office over the fact that causes are charged 4 per cent commission on their charitable accounts. The Post Office has promised to look into this, and as a thank you to Leslie for raising the issue they have said she does not need to pay commission on the account she has opened for the Enham campaign.

SEE ALSO: Enham Trust CEO discusses 100 years of disability support

Leslie said: “I can stand behind my counter and tell my customers, hand on heart, that every penny is going to the charity and that’s a good feeling! Anyone can donate any amount at any time through the Post Office, and it goes straight into the Enham project account.

“We have absolutely brilliant customers who completely understand the restrictions on the community and experience the parking issues themselves. People have really bought into the fact that it is such a brilliant community facility th

A spokesperson for the Enham Trust said: "Landale Wilson Hall is at the heart of Enham Alamein village. Built in 1926, and opened by the then Prince of Wales, it has a rich and interesting history.

"Enham Trust is embarking on a fundraising appeal to refurbish the hall to protect its heritage, and use as a much loved community asset. We are extremely grateful to the Enham Alamein Parish Council for their fundraising work to support this and for their continued support."

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