THE overdue overhaul of a 115-year-old community venue at the heart of a North-East village has been carried out to ensure its use for generations to come.

A £11,000 grant has seen the interior of the Reading Room, in Neasham, near Darlington, transformed thanks to the five-figure sum.

Neasham Reading Room committee members launched a Fit for the Community campaign to generate cash for improvements to the building’s heating system as well as money to install a hearing loop and to buy new furniture.

The successful fundraising campaign then saw the committee apply to County Durham-based Banks Group to fund the next stage of their programme of upgrades to the building’s ageing kitchen.

A grant from the Banks Community Fund has allowed work to go ahead at the site off Sockburn Lane, with Neasham-based contractor, Brindle Construction, being awarded the contract to carry it out.

The generous figure will see the kitchen fitted with floor-to-ceiling storage as well as fresh coats of paint for the Reading Room’s walls and ceilings, alongside sanding and repainting woodwork on its floor.

Tina Murray, treasurer at Neasham Reading Room, said: “The Reading Room is the only venue of its type in our community and it’s already really well used, but the need to improve the building’s fabric as part of giving it a sustainable future has become ever more apparent, which is why we set up our Fit for the Community campaign.

She added: “Venues like the Reading Room have a crucial role to play in tackling social isolation in this sort of community, and we hope the improvements we’ve made will encourage and enable even more people to spend time with us in the future.”

The volunteer-run venue hosts a wide range of community events and activities, ranging from ukulele classes, fitness clubs and local history talks.

Lewis Stokes, Banks Group community relations manager, said: “The progress that the volunteer Reading Room team has already made in improving the building is extremely impressive, and we’re very pleased to be playing our part in securing the future of this hugely valuable community venue.”