Orange hall to get £10k upgrade

Repair and refurbishment work is to get under way at on Orange hall in Co Antrim in a bid to bring the building back into use for the local community.
Alderman William Leathem, Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council; Richard Rogers, Alpha Programme; Mairs Stevenson, Chaplain of Stoneyford Orange Lodge; Andrew Wright, Lodge Treasurer and John Farr, Minister of Stoneyford Parish Church.Alderman William Leathem, Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council; Richard Rogers, Alpha Programme; Mairs Stevenson, Chaplain of Stoneyford Orange Lodge; Andrew Wright, Lodge Treasurer and John Farr, Minister of Stoneyford Parish Church.
Alderman William Leathem, Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council; Richard Rogers, Alpha Programme; Mairs Stevenson, Chaplain of Stoneyford Orange Lodge; Andrew Wright, Lodge Treasurer and John Farr, Minister of Stoneyford Parish Church.

Stoneyford Orange Hall, which was built 120 years ago, is in need of some structural and cosmetic improvements. And thanks to a grant of almost £10,000 from the Alpha Programme, members of Stoneyford Temperance LOL 1253 are now pushing ahead with the first phase of their hall refurbishment project.

Alpha, which distributes funding through the Landfill Communities Fund to a range of community-led and biodiversity projects within a 15-mile radius of the landfill site at Mullaghglass on the outskirts of Lisburn, recently awarded the ‘Stoneyford Hub Regeneration Project’ £9,742 to upgrade and enhance the ailing property.

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DUP Alderman William Leathem, who has been assisting Stoneyford Temperance LOL 1253 with recent grant applications, said lodge members are delighted that the funding will allow them to carry out the first phase of their hall refurbishment project.

“The money will be used for some refurbishment work to the ground floor of the building, consisting of kitchen and minor hall improvements,” he explained.

“The hall was used by the public up to a number of years ago, but due to the condition of the hall it became unusable by the local community.

“The plan is to repair the ground floor this year and refurbish the first floor of the hall next year.

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“The lodge is very much part of the local community and wants the hall to be open to the community after the hall has been renovated.”

Richard Rogers of Groundwork NI, which oversees the Alpha Programme, said the hall refurbishment will provide more opportunities for the building to facilitate community activities and events.

“This project will allow much needed repairs to Stoneyford Orange Hall, and will enable it to be used as a venue for a wide range of community activities,” he said.

“We are delighted to be able to support the lodge in their efforts to make the hall an attractive and inclusive community resource for Stoneyford and the surrounding area.

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“We would encourage eligible organisations to apply and see what difference they could make to their communities.”

Applications for the next round of Alpha Programme funding close on July 27.

For more information log on to [email protected]