Former Glenfield community hall to be transformed as Carrickfergus Temperance LOL 1537 secure renovation grant
A former community hall in the Glenfield estate, Carrickfergus is to receive a new lease of life thanks to a £75,000 grant from Biffa Award as part of the Government’s Landfill Communities Fund.
The hall, now in the ownership of Carrickfergus Temperance LOL 1537, was previously a community facility and shop, but has lain unused and derelict for well over a decade.
Renovation works have already begun with a new roof, solar panel system, soffits, gutters and downpipes.
Biffa Award funding will allow the interior of the building to be fully renovated to include the installation of a new kitchen, toilets and heating allowing the hall to be brought back into community use once more.
Marc Collins, Deputy Master of Carrickfergus Temperance LOL 1537 said: “This grant will be truly transformative, both for our lodge and for the local community in Glenfield. Having lived in the estate my whole life, I have seen first-hand the under-investment in the area, and the negative effect this has had on the community – bringing the hall back to life will be vital to rebuilding community relations and fostering a sense of togetherness.”
Sammy Wilson MP, Member of Parliament for East Antrim added: “I want to send my congratulations to Carrickfergus Temperance LOL 1537 for the work they have done to date and on securing this grant funding from Biffa Award.
"This hall has been a wasted asset in Glenfield since the doors were closed and to see it reopened and available for community use once more will provide a massive lift for the local area.”
Since 1997, Biffa Award has awarded grants totalling more than £200 million to thousands of worthwhile community and environmental projects across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The programme administers money donated by Biffa Group Ltd through the Landfill Communities Fund.
Rachel Maidment, Biffa Award Grants Manager said: “it is so important that we continue to invest in community buildings which are at the heart of their communities. By supporting the full internal renovation, we are enabling the facility to reopen after years of disuse, giving the community a safe, welcoming, and fit-for-purpose space for generations to come.”