Public support needed for Hare Hill House funding bid

MoorEnd Development Trust has been working to improve Hare Hill House into a state where it can be used by the community and have applied for a community award scheme to help with the work.

A scheme set up by financial firm Engage Mutua, offer awards of either £5,000 or £25,000 for projects put forward by Engage Mutual customers to improve their community.

Nick Andrews, Hare Hill House project champion, said: “It would be very important for us to get this money. It would give us hope that this is something that we can do and is something that the community wants us to achieve.”

The money would be used by MoorEnd trust to:

• Repair the roof and rainwater goods.
• Refurbish the former council chamber.
• Refurbish the furniture.

The Trust has been working on the house with the help of local businesses and volunteers. It is hoped that once refurbished the house can be used by local community groups, organisations and emerging enterprises to deliver a wide variety of activities, events and services.

“We have had a lot of support from the community. We have a list of around 35 volunteers who have been helping us since before Christmas and that is helping with the physical side of the project like clearing things out and moving things,” added Nick.

The trust successfully secured a six month license to occupy the house from Rochdale Council in an effort to secure the house for the community. The council has indicated that providing the Trust can demonstrate that it has a viable and robust business plan and is able to show where the money for the repair and refurbishment will come from, that they will consider an asset transfer to the Trust at the end of the six month period.

The winner of the award is now to be decided by a public vote with voting closing at the end of May. Nick added: “Last time I looked we had around 270 votes and out of the bigger projects we are coming in second but we still have a long way to go.”

To vote for Hare Hill House visit:

https://www.engagemutual.com/foundation/projects/space-at-hare-hill-house-littleborough/