New Hedges Village Hall was packed on Saturday as the whole community turned out for the opening of the newly-extended and refurbished facility.

The new annex has been dedicated to the late George Einon, founder member and chairman of New Hedges Village Hall, who was instrumental in the conversion of the former village school into a hall in the early 1980s, and was officially opened by his wife Carol, son Martin and daughter Cath.

The construction of the annex has resulted in improved facilities at the hall, with an extended main hall (twice the size of the previous one), a larger conference room, bigger kitchen, indoor storage, extra disabled facilities, and a foyer which leads out onto the playing field.

The scheme was made possible thanks a £128,000 grant from the Welsh Assembly Government and £40,000 raised by the community.

"We had a lovely day and everyone was very impressed with our new-look hall," said Christine Butland, chairman of the hall's committee.

Organisations which use the hall exhibited displays of their activities, while the floral art class decorated the windows and New Hedges WI served refreshments.

Chairman of St. Mary Out Liberty Community Council, Clr. Ron Johns, presented a donation towards the project to Mrs. Butland on behalf of the council, while a framed photograph of the completed hall was given to Peter Nixon, of P. J. Nixon and Son Building Services Ltd., who was the main contractor.