A community hall in Bridgetown, Totnes, has been transformed thanks to a portable wheelchair ramp.
We were delighted to donate £1,000 to charity Bridgetown Alive to ensure the building was made accessible for all members of the community.
The work is part of package of improvements coordinated by Bridgetown Alive who have raised and spent nearly £30,000 on revamping the hall.
The hall has benefited from a replacement of all windows and doors, new floor covering, insulated roof space and walls, a lowered ceiling and sound-proofed party wall.
Now wheelchair users will be able to use the community space with the addition of a new ramp.
Richard Mitchell, Founder and Chairman of Bridgetown Alive, said: “The donation from LiveWest is greatly appreciated and will make a difference as it will allow more people to access the hall.
“A wheelchair user asked me to make sure that the hall was made accessible for all people.
“It is a very necessary and obligatory resource if we are to be non-discriminatory in our activities.
“Donations like this, coupled with the fundraising we are able to do, means we can keep updating this great facility which services the community.”
Bridgetown Alive is a not-for-profit organisation formed 25 years ago with the aim of improving the Bridgetown area of the town and supporting the wellbeing of its residents.
It now leases the hall - a converted stone barn built in the 1960s - from LiveWest and uses it for playgroups, therapy groups, creative arts groups and meetings. Local schools also use the hall for educational activities.
Richard Mitchell added: “Once government restrictions are eased, the community hall will be able to resume normal activities.
“The hall is available for the whole community. Very shortly after we took over the lease, Covid-19 broke out which affected things.
“We have been able to undertake some great improvements to the building during this time which will benefit the community of Bridgetown. We are very much looking forward to welcoming people back.”
Charlotte Holdsworth, Community Connector for LiveWest, said: “It’s a fantastic hall and a valuable resource in an area of Totnes where there’s been significant housing development and increase in population.
“The Bridgetown Community hall is now modernised, suitable for a wide variety of community activity for all. It really is a gem.”