Island Roads helps ‘remarkable’ Chillerton community project

Volunteers from Island Roads have helped a community project to improve access to Chillerton Village Hall. Under Island Roads’ volunteering programme in which staff are encouraged to take two paid days a year to assist local community projects, an Island Roads team answered a call for help from Chillerton and Gatcombe Community Association. The association was keen for help in its work to improve off-street access to the village hall for the very young, the elderly and the disabled, by repairing its surrounding road, the turning area for vehicles and improving the roadside drainage system. The Island Roads worked with volunteers in a number of activities to achieve those tasks leaving the association better able to host regular social activities and one-off events for the local community of all ages in its already well-equipped village hall. Gillian Belben, a Chillerton and Gatcombe Community Association committee member, said: “The building itself has been adapted for the disabled but access from the road was problematic for anyone using a wheelchair, a mobility scooter or a buggy. The ground was uneven, partly stepped and often very muddy with water running off the hill behind across the lane. “Thankfully, the IR volunteers have dealt with these problems and we are really grateful. In particular we appreciate the advice given by team leader Paul Gibb-Narey when he came to assess our needs and plan the project. He was extremely helpful when choosing appropriate materials. “We are very pleased with the improvements which I am sure will be noted on Saturday (July 7) when we hold our monthly market and cafe when we will welcome a one year old and a 99-year-old resident to the hall!” Fellow committee member Dave Attridge was also delighted at the project. “The transformation is remarkable,” he said. Paul, an operations and maintenance supervisor at Island Roads, said: “Our team was delighted to help out such a worthwhile project and to work alongside such dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers. We hope the improvements will help the association continue its work to bring the whole rural community together.”