Turning disaster into opportunity

The Queens Award for Voluntary Service is public recognition of the transformation of The Gratton over the last four years. One of only five awards in Hampshire. Residents of all ages are able to enjoy the outdoor facilities and the newly installed outdoor gym, playground, seating and refurbished tennis courts. Complementing these much-needed improvements, a range of cultural and sporting activities has now been established making The Gratton well-used and much-loved by the whole community. Our five-year improvement plan was coming to fruition when the ‘Beast from the East’ struck. The extreme weather wreaked damage to our pavilion, rendering it totally unusable and in need of essential, but expensive repairs. Undeterred, the Trustees, with the communities help, will turn this set back into a positive community project, to benefit all. We plan to upgrade the pavilion, add an additional room for the Scouts and beavers and re-configuring the entrances and internal layout. We want to make the facility fit for purpose, for all to use and enjoy, now and long into the future. To do this we need to meet the additional costs over and above the insurance cover. Most of the funding is now in place but we need the community to help us find approximately £10,000 which is just five percent of the total cost of refurbishment. To help raise funds and provide another fun entertainment for all, The Trust has hired ‘Happy Circus’, a proper Big Top Circus coming to The Gratton on Sunday, 2nd September. The main circus event will be preceded by a circus skills workshop open to all ages. Knowing that the Queens Award for Voluntary Service began with a submission from members of our local community, shows that we are providing our community with what they want and need. And all of this is delivered by a group of volunteer trust community engagement at it very best. Please help us continue our fantastic success story by donating to the Trust.