World Cup star opens new eco-village hall

Communities are at the heart of all projects funded by WREN and the village hall at Marthall in Macclesfield, Cheshire, is no exception. The community received an early Christmas gift in December last year, as their revamped, eco-friendly village hall was officially opened.

And some sporting glamour was added to the occasion with special guest, World Cup winner Sir Bobby Charlton, joining councillors and Rt Hon George Osborne MP to cut the ribbon.

An integral part of the local community, Marthall’s wooden village hall was old, becoming costly to repair and in need of major improvement. The hall’s management committee consulted the local community and decided to raise funds for a complete rebuild.

More than £100,000 had already been raised for the cost of the building when WREN received a bid for £50,000 to pay for the installation of eco-friendly heating and water systems to make the new facilities environmentally friendly and more economical to run.

The new hall was completed at the end of 2009 and the heating system has already proved to be extremely efficient and a great success. The hall was up and running and stayed warm throughout one of the coldest winters in recent years, without extortionate bills.

Peter Cox, managing director of WREN, said: “This project just goes to show that when a community pulls together, they can make a big difference to their local area. We’re proud to be involved in projects that involve and benefit a whole village.”