6:50am Wednesday 8th September 2010
By Joanna Kilvington
Community hall users will be able to stay toasty in the coming autumn months thanks to a £110,000 revamp at their centre.
Linden Hall, in Hampton, has been fitted with a new boiler, 31 new radiators and has had repairs to its roof to transform it from the leaky and cold centre it was last year.
An open day took place at the centre, which offers social activities and lunches for the over 60s, last Saturday for users to see the work carried out by Richmond Council.
Councillor Pamela Fleming, Richmond Council cabinet member for communities, who attended the open day, said: “The welfare and happiness of our older residents is very important to us.
“We have also just confirmed a grant to Linden Hall to help with its running costs.”
Carol Stratton, chairwoman of Linden Hall trustees, said more than 150 visited to see the hall.
She added: “We are grateful to [the council] for giving us a council grant for this year.
“We raised some funds and also raised the spirits of the members, who look forward to attending this social day centre when it re-opens in October.”
Councillors Janet Langhorne, Suzette Nicholson and Gareth Roberts, who represent Hampton on Richmond Council, were also in attendance.
Coun Nicholson said: "It's really great news that this vital resource for older people in Hampton has been renovated and is once again open for business.
"We fully appreciate how important this facility is.”
Coun Roberts added: "The number of people who have come along to the open day is incredibly encouraging and we look forward to Linden Hall resuming its rightful place at the heart of social provision for our elder residents in Hampton.”
Richmond Community Support Service Consortium, which runs the services at the centre, is hoping to raise enough money to convert a store room at the hall into a therapy room where reflexology and massages can be offered to the elderly residents of Hampton and Hampton Hill.
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