A historic weekend in north Norfolk saw a five-year fundraising effort culminate in the opening of a new £700,000 village hall.
Wighton, near Wells-next-the-Sea, celebrated the "grand opening" of its new village hall on Saturday.
The construction of the state-of-the-art, eco-friendly village hall was said to represent a huge achievement for the village.
Chair of the Wighton Village Hall project group George Brett Reynolds welcomed more than 100 villagers and friends to the ribbon cutting which was performed by Julie and Neil Dyson, representing The Goldcrest Charitable Trust.
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Mr Brett Reynolds, 81, who was born and raised in Wighton, said: “It’s a dream come true and a credit to all the villagers who have worked so hard on the project.
"It’s been five years from start to finish but the end result is a wonderful facility for our community."
He thanked everyone who invested time and money in the project - particularly The Goldcrest Charitable Trust.
After the ribbon-cutting, guests enjoyed the Fakenham Ukes Band and on Sunday morning, the Earl and Countess of Leicester unveiled their plaque before joining villagers for coffee and bacon butties.
Sophie Trend, co-ordinator for the Wighton Village Hall project group, said: “It has been a momentous and historic weekend for Wighton.
"We couldn’t have hoped for a better start for our new hall and we thank everyone who came along to celebrate with us”.
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Wighton’s former village 'recreation hut', made of corrugated iron, started life over 100 years ago as a temporary church hall and then a classroom in Wells.
The hut was the venue for countless events and celebrations over many years - but by 2018 it was no longer fit for purpose and was demolished in June 2022.
Other grant-giving bodies included the Sheringham Shoal Community Fund, the UKSPF, the Garfield Weston Foundation, the Central Co-op Community Fund, Wells Carnival Fund, Holkham Charitable Foundation and other local clubs, charities and individuals.
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