News Re our Hall The hall belonging to St Gabriel’s Church in Aldersbrook had a big renovation summer 2025 . Removing the old stage has allowed for expanded and more accessible storage to be installed for the benefit of the very wide range of community groups that use the hall every day. Importantly, disabled access has been improved. These building works represent the latest stage in an ongoing refurbishment project which is on track for completion in 2027 to mark the centenary of the hall’s opening. The project started in 2023 with the installation of solar panels on the roof of the hall and from the beginning has been driven by a goal of making it more environmentally sustainable and more accessible for users. The money has been raised by the Friends of St Gabriel’s through a range of community events and crowdfunding via the Big Give. They were also successful in securing a total of £40,000 in small grants from the National Lottery Community Fund, the Benefact Trust, the Garfield Weston Foundation and the Bernard Sunley Foundation. The Friends are delighted to announce that in future the hall will be known as St Gabriel’s Community Hall, reflecting its importance at the heart of Aldersbrook and Lakehouse for nearly 100 years. Father Martyn Hawkes said: I’m very happy to report that the Parochial Church Council has approved the rebranding of the hall. I’d like to thank the indefatigable volunteers within the Friends of St Gabriel’s, The story doesn’t end here, however, as future works to complete the internal upgrade in time for 2027 are likely to cost another £40,000. To support the next stage of fundraising it has been decided to relaunch the Friends of St Gabriel’s scheme, inviting people to join for a small annual donation of £15 per person or £25 per household. All those that sign up by direct debit will receive a ten per cent discount on event tickets and merchandise. Fundraisers planned for 2026 include a beer and comedy night, a ceilidh and a history talk. As in previous years, the Friends of St Gabiel’s have also teamed up with local designer Muriel & Me to sell limited edition Aldersbrook baubles, tea towels and coasters in aid of the refurbishment work.
St Gabriel's Aldersbrook
