Pant Memorial Hall is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2022 and to mark the occasion a Centenary Fair is taking place on Saturday 25th June.
Not only is the fair an opportunity to mark the hall’s first 100 years and for people to see the hall’s new solar energy installation, but it is also a chance to bring the community together after the challenges of the last couple of years.
The fair is being held between 2pm and 4pm in Pant, near Oswestry, for locals and visitors alike and will feature stalls from local organisations, a photo exhibition charting the hall’s history, refreshments and the opportunity to see the facilities offered in the Hall.
There will be a number of craft-makers at the fair offering unique and bespoke products and gifts. The hall itself will be running a tombola and bookstall and there will be face-painting for children. Weather permitting, the fair will take place both indoor and out.
Pant Memorial Hall can trace its roots to a legal agreement, signed on 9th February 1922, to purchase the land where it now stands. The conditions of the purchase required a building to be erected as a ‘Reading Room Club and Village Institute’ for the use of the residents of Pant. The first hall building was an ex-WWI army hut from Park Hall, which miraculously survived until the early 1980s, when the current hall was built.
To celebrate the hall’s centenary, a major programme of improvement work has been taking place, thanks to two generous funding awards, one awarded by People’s Postcode Trust, a grant-giving charity funded entirely by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, and the other from the National Lottery Community Fund. As well as roof-mounted solar panels, new heaters and a new hot water system have been installed.
Pant Memorial Hall Trustee Richard Sheehan said: “The Centenary Fair is our chance to say thank you to the people of Pant and all those who have supported the hall over the years. The committee is extremely proud that we have reached this significant milestone.
“When we began our solar project last year, none of us could have predicted how energy costs would rocket, and as electricity is the hall’s biggest monthly expense, the new solar panels will make a huge difference, not only to our bills but to our environmental impact.
“Everyone is welcome to come along to the fair and we would urge people to get involved and to set us on the road to our next 100 years!”
Proceeds from the sale of teas, coffees and cake will go towards the upkeep of Pant Memorial Hall, which is a registered charity and an asset for the community.
Visit www.pantmemorialhall.org.uk or find out more on Facebook @PantMemorialHall and Twitter @PantMemHall.