Villagers look for help to make building heart of rural community once again

"There's a tremendous community spirit," he says. "But even so it's difficult to keep the village shop and pubs going."

Much-needed services have gradually closed and the village, near Ripon in North Yorkshire, has found itself without key anchor points to unite the 350 or so residents. But a local group is looking to change all that with the help of grants charity Yorkshire Community Foundations, a partner in our Communities in Need appeal.

A team of local residents is in the process of leasing a former Methodist church to turn into a community hall which aims to be much more than just a space to hold events.

The Grewelthorpe Village Hall project will provide social housing, a concert venue and kitchens. More importantly, it will be a hub for a whole range of services that residents would otherwise have little or no access to. There are plans for outreach health sessions, mentoring of small businesses, and the organisation of allotments and sports facilities.

"It is a unique thing," says Mr Exelby, who is the project's chairman and also a nearby farmer. "The village hall is only the centre of the wheel and there are spokes going out to all these different things."

"We've lost a lot of facilities over the years," says Eric Clarke, the group's vice-chair and the man behind a lot of the scheme's innovative ideas.

"We've got people here that need access to good health services and getting to Harrogate for that is difficult. It's up to us to help people who are struggling."

It is just the kind of transformative action that donations to the Yorkshire Post appeal will help fulfil. The project received a catalyst fund of 1,000 from Yorkshire Community Foundations but a total of 400,000 is eventually needed if the church is to be turned into the community's beating heart that planners hope it can be. And your

donations, however small or large, can make that happen.