TRUSTEES of a Yarm community hall say they are battling against a constant barrage of criticism.

As they celebrated a funding windfall this week, the town's Fellowship Hall committee hit out at what it claims is misleading information being put out by the local Labour party.

Committee chairman Coun Gwen Porter said the Fellowship Hall was used by more than 450 people a week.

"But despite all the work the trustees try to do for the community, Yarm Labour party continues to try to score political points by printing misleading information in its leaflets," she said.

She urged residents to support events being organised at the venue. "We are continuing to provide a wide range of fundraising and social events and I hope people will come and see what is being achieved," she said.

The committee learned this week that the Lloyds TSB Foundation had awarded £3,100 to the trust.

The money will be used to install a hearing loop and sound system in the main hall and this should be in place by the end of this month.

"The trustees are working hard to make the Fellowship Hall self-sufficient and a success," said Mrs Porter. "Having people continually criticising us is not helpful, in fact it is sad.

"We should be getting encouragement, not criticism. It is a pity some people have nothing better to do than try to undermine the work we are doing to make the hall a success .

"We are making it pay and it is not a burden on the taxpayer."

In its summer leaflet, the local Labour party asked if people were aware links between the Fellowship Hall and Yarm Town Council had been cut.

It also questioned the absence of a full quarterly report from the trustees to the council.

The Fellowship Hall passed from council control to trustees last year, partly as a way of accessing various grants which were not available to statutory authorities.

Further applications have now been placed with other grant-funding bodies and if these are successful it is hoped to upgrade the kitchen and heating system.

Groups already using the hall include Yarm senior citizens, martial arts classes, Yarm parish church, Tumble Tots, Spotlight stage school and the blood donor service.

In the pipeline are an antiques evening, flower club and folk night