“Vital” community hall in Salford issues plea for support after receiving £13,000 of donations

An adored community hall in Salford is raising money to improve its building and ability to support its village.

St Paul’s Peel Parish Community Hall in the heart of Little Hulton is raising money to replace their broken heating system, and so far, more than £13,000 has been donated.

The hall, originally founded as a school in 1867, is a staple in the Little Hulton community, offering a range of events and activities as a safe, welcoming space for anyone of any background.

Geoff Millard, Treasurer of St Paul Peel Church and manager of the community hall, is “overwhelmed” by the outpour of support from residents. He said:

“It’s really wonderful that we’ve attracted so much support. It’s time we put some love and care back into it to make it fit for the future.”

The community hall hosts several events, attracting around 400 people weekly. From parties and weddings to different community groups, the space is available to rent for an affordable price for all.

“There are no boundaries on the people that use the hall, we embrace the diversity of Little Hulton,” Geoff said.

“I just love seeing it being used.”

The donation target is set at £20,000, and the page is already closing in at £13,388. While the space needs other repairs and improvements besides their “archaic” heating, Geoff is still blown away by the support.

The group are calling for any companies or volunteers that want to help them make improvements to the hall’s interior and exterior.

Donations and support have poured in from Little Hultoners, emphasising how “vital” the hall is to the community. Ex Little Hultoners have chipped in as well, donating from Devon and even as far as South Africa.

Alongside his generous donation, he said: “The church hall and church have been an integral part of the community. This donation is also in memory of my late Wife, Sylvia who spent many hours, shed many tears in these buildings in her lifetime,” said Keith Phillips, who donated £250 to the cause.

Sylvia was a significant part of the Parish Hall’s growing popularity as it became a community hub and local venue. By charging low rent, she allowed different groups of all backgrounds to solidify their place in the town of Little Hulton.

Residents aren’t the only ones showing their support, with Salford City Council matching all donations of up to £2000 made to the Crowdfunder page. Councillor for Little Hulton, Tony Davies, said: “The amount raised is a real testament to both the importance of the hall to Little Hulton, and also to the hard work of Geoff and the team of volunteers who keep the hall going.

“You’ll be hard pushed to find any of us who have grown up here, or lived here that hasn’t been to the Hall for something, there’s always things going on there, and it’s used so much by local groups and local people.”

Geoff and the residents of Little Hulton hope to keep the heart of their community beating through the generosity of donations and support.