A GRANT donated to Chideock village hall is to make the world of difference.

Treasurer of the hall Roger Carey alongside chairman Richard Benjamin applied to the Gannett Foundation UK last year.

The £4,000 donation will be put towards transforming the village hall’s kitchen – which is in a state of disrepair.

The Gannett Foundation is the charitable arm of Gannett Co Inc, owner of Newsquest Media Group, which publishes the Bridport & Lyme Regis News.

Talking about the planned improvements for the hall, Richard explained how the whole kitchen will be ripped out and replaced with new units, stainless steel worktops as well as a new cooker and a new dishwasher.

He said: “It is all very old fashioned and in a bit of a state with a lot of broken shelves and cabinets. We have to do something about it. And looking at it from a health and safety point of view a lot of things desperately need fixing.

“We host a range of activities such as the WI, Pilates, table tennis, film club alongside charity events.

“We have recently launched Café Friday which is held the third Friday of every month. It’s an opportunity for people who may be a bit lonely to come down and have a chat and enjoy a hot drink.

“And the hope is that with a brand new kitchen other people will see an opportunity to run more events at the hall.

“Chideock Village Hall has been here since the 1900s and has stood the test of time. And we want to make sure it is still here for the next generations.”

Members of Chideock Village Hall decided to apply to the Gannett Foundation UK after spotting an article in The Bridport News.

Richard added: “Roger saw it and we thought let’s go for it. And that’s where it all started and it has encouraged other people to donate and get behind us.

“After its all completed we are hoping to put on a function to celebrate and thank all those who have donated and volunteered to help.”

Members of Chideock Village Hall have also been fundraising and have so far raised nearly £2,000.

Over the course of the last 10 years, the Gannett Foundation has issued grants to the value of nearly £4 million to charities.