A west Norfolk community is closer to getting a state-of-the art village hub with more space for different activities, thanks to £621,000 from the Big Lottery Fund.

The new £851,000 building will have a capacity of about 200 people and will provide opportunities for older people to socialise and for other adults to learn new skills.

The building in Wereham, near Downham Market, will also be the first Passivhaus village hall in the country, which means it will provide a high level of comfort while using very little energy for heating and cooling.

It will replace the current First World War wooden YMCA hut opposite, which has severe restrictions on its use due to its age and fragility.

The current village hall will continue to be used until the new one is up and running, and will then be demolished.

The Wereham Village Hall management committee is confident it can raise the extra £230,000 needed for the project, through other fundraising grants, and expects work on the new building to start in March.

Victoria Gray, committee chairman and objectives manager for the project, said: 'This is the culmination of four years of hard work for the project team and the credit for this success goes to members Helen Richardson, John Eastgate, Rachel Barron and John Millard.

'Without their total dedication and hard work, this achievement would not have been possible.

'The current village hall is not fit for purpose. It cannot be used for any activities that cause vibrations, such as music, parties and dancing.

'This will improve the lives for people in Wereham and the surrounding villages, and will allow us to deliver seven new activities in the new hall.'

The charity was awarded more than £28,000 by the Big Lottery Fund earlier in the year towards the project and to develop the existing site.

Are you celebrating Big Lottery funding? Email david.bale2@archant.co.uk