A Monmouthshire village will be receiving £286,000 in grant money to save their town hall thanks to the efforts of a local community group.

The National Lottery Community Fund in Wales recently announced that Grosmont Community Council would be given the amount over the next two years to deliver the Grosmont Community Hub project in partnership with Grosmont Futures, a community interest organisation founded by villagers in 2021.

The grants, made possible by National Lottery players, have been awarded through the Rural Futures programme.

This scheme aims to support communities wishing to make a positive impact on the lives of people living in poverty in remote rural areas.

The funding will be used to upgrade, repair and refurbish Grosmont’s village hall, built in 1832, deliver a programme of new activities, and make it easier for people to participate in village life in this new community hub.

Lynne Potter and Mark Whittaker, co-chairs of the Grosmont Futures group, said: “Grosmont Futures (GF) is delighted to have been awarded Lottery funding to make the Town Hall into a warm and welcoming community hub for everyone in the area to enjoy. Once the building and renovations are complete GF will roll out a greatly increased range of activities overseen by a co-ordinator. We hope to reach all corners of the community regardless of age or ability.”

Peter Willis of Rural Futures, who has supported Grosmont Futures in their applications for grants, said: “this award of funding is testament to the tireless hard work, dedication and perseverance of a group of local residents over the last few years. They have had to overcome every obstacle imaginable and it’s fantastic that their vision to revitalise the village hall into a community hub will be realised”.

The town hall was the venue for the annual mayor-making ceremony, until the borough was abolished and replaced by a local parish council in 1857. Henry Somerset, 9th Duke of Beaufort offered the town hall to Grosmont Parish Council who evolved to become Grosmont Community Council in May 1902. An extensive programme of repairs was carried out, with financial support from the Village Alive Trust, and completed in 2012.