Lamyatt is a peaceful Somerset hamlet about six miles south of Shepton Mallet. We are a close and sociable community and look out for each other. But our village doesn't have a pub - and we lost our shop and post office several years ago. Now, the only places we can get together are our lovely church and our village hall.

Our much-loved hall was built as a school in the mid-19th century. Most of us can walk to it. But it is too small with no disabled access, has outdoor toilets and a tiny, inadequate kitchen. It's damp, difficult to heat and the roof has dry rot! For those reasons, we now want to restore and enlarge our hall to accommodate activities and services identified as being of benefit to a village like Lamyatt. And to do that, we need to raise £185,000 - a massive effort for a village of our size.

A better hall will give us step-free access for all - with space for activities ranging from health-promoting exercise and dancing, to quiz and bridge evenings; local services including a library hub; and with indoor toilets and a proper kitchen, we can offer lunch and supper clubs where we sit down together to enjoy village-grown produce! Most important will be the chance to enjoy each other's company, keep isolation at bay and keep alive the vibrant heart of our small rural community.