A community pantomime staged to raise money to revamp the church hall has scooped over £1000 for the cause – oh yes it has!
The money raised will go towards revamping Dyke Church Hall which has been largely untouched since the 1950s.
The hall refurbishment will form Phase 2 of the Dyke Access Project which aims to make the church and its hall welcoming, with user friendly access and improved modern facilities.
The pantomime, Snow White & the Grease Monkeys was a sell-out show with over 100 tickets being sold.
Volunteers from Dyke and the surrounding villages worked together for over two months to make the event happen and did everything from acting, getting support from local businesses and building scenery.
The cast also included youngsters from Dyke Primary School.
Church elder Alison Rodgers who helped make the pantomime come to life said she was delighted with the outcome: “This has been a real team effort and the church has been overwhelmed by the support it has received not only from within the church but for the wide community as well. It takes a lot of hard work to put on an event like this, but we had different people working on different tasks and it really was a triumph.
“The money raised is a real boost towards us being able to refurbish the hall, but it has also raised the profile of what it is we are hoping to do at the church. Not only will a freshened-up hall be great for those who come to church but we hope that it will be an attractive venue for those in the community who want to host smaller events. For example it is already used by a book club who meet there regularly.”
The total cost of the Dyke Access Project is estimated to cost around £160,000.
Phase 1 of the project which involved creating a new path, suitable for wheelchairs from Dyke & District Hall car park to the church was completed last November.
Phase 2 will see the installation of new toilets including disabled facilities, expanding the hall, improving kitchen facilities and removing asbestos.
Snow White and the Grease Monkeys was penned by another local resident Linda Walker who said: “I am absolutely delighted that not only did we put on a great show which brought the whole community together whether it be through volunteering or coming to see it, but that it has also raised such a great amount for the church. It was great fun to be involved.”
