WOMBLETON Village Hall has been presented with a cheque for more than £10,000 to help improve facilities.

Nigel Brass, manager of the Co-op in Kirkbymoorside, presented Louise Slater, chairman of the village hall with a cheque for £10,452.53 which was raised following a successful year of fundraising through the Co-op Community Fund initiative.

Mr Brass said: “The Co-op is delighted to make this possible. Every time Co-op members shop with us, one per cent of what they spend on selected own-brand products and services goes to the Co-op Community Fund. Members can now choose to support one of the three new projects linked to the Kirkbymoorside store.”

Mrs Slater said said Wombleton Village Hall provides a meeting place for a wide range of community groups and is also available for private hire.

“While the village hall provides a focus for local residents, it also caters for groups from the wider Ryedale area,” she said.

“It was awarded Village Hall of the Year 2016/17 by Ryedale District Council.”

Mrs Slater said the organisations that use the facility include the Wombleton branch of the Yorkshire Country Women’s Association, Ryedale Beekeepers, Moorlands Art Group, Kirkdale Gardening Club and Wombleton Parish Council.

“Church services are held for Remembrance Sunday and Palm Sunday and carol services are also held in the hall,” she said.

“The village hall is managed by volunteers who organise fundraising events to ensure its long-term viability. These include jumble sales, quiz evenings, village walks, coffee mornings, a harvest festival and domino drives.”

Mrs Slater added: “We are very grateful to the Co-op and all its members for making this possible. The money will be used to improve the facilities at the hall for the benefit of the whole village. Because of this, we can also now hold regular film nights during the winter months.”