A PARISH hall in Alcester is set to be transformed thanks to a £185,000 revamp.

Work is underway to renovate the hall at Our Lady and St Joseph Church in time for a September unveiling, following three years of the hall being out of action.

The project will see the transformation of the hall and kitchen and the addition of an extension linked to the hall by a new entrance porch which will include a meeting room.

Fr Paul Gunter, parish priest, said: "I am delighted that the work has started on this project and its progress is already being commented upon favourably by the people of the town. That we are at this point is down to the painstaking work of all involved and a positive indication of the contribution the hall will make to the communities of Alcester and to the parish."

The project is funded by the Archdiocese of Birmingham, Douai Abbey Trust and community fundraising.

Further support has come from donations from a number of charitable trusts and foundations including the Allchurches Trust Limited, Bernard Sunley Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust, Edward Cadbury Charitable Trust and the Sir Harold Hood’s Charitable Trust.

The hall dates back to 1902 when it was originally home to the Catholic School, before becoming a hall to be used by all the community from 1962.

It is hoped the site will be open by the end of September and that once government lockdown restrictions are eased the hall will be able to offer a full range of recreational, social and support services.