The well known author of crime novels Simon Hall, who is also a reporter on BBC
Spotlight, visited the village of Woodbury Salterton to open the Woodbury
Salterton Book Exchange on Saturday 31st August.
The old redundant phone box which has stood empty in the middle of the
village for a number of years ever since British Telecom removed the phone and
sold the phone box to Woodbury Parish Council for £1!!
The recently
formed Woodbury Salterton Residents Association contacted the Council with an
idea of converting the box into a Book Exchange. The idea came from Committee
member Priscilla Trenchard who read of a similar redundant phone box in
Wiltshire that had been converted to become a book exchange. The Association’s
proposal was to fit book shelves and fill the shelves with donated books and
then to manage and maintain the box. The Parish Councillors approved the scheme
and over the past month local Association members have replaced the broken
panes, cleaned and fitted shelving and filled the shelves with donated
books.
Such was the interest of this innovative change of use that a number of
residents suggested that the project required a ‘Grand Opening’ with ribbon
cutting by a local author and celebration drinks and savouries.
11.30am last Saturday saw the culmination of
the efforts of local residents to return a “sad lonely phone box” unused and
unloved into a useful village amenity. Over 60 residents gathered around the
newly refurbished phone pox in the middle of the village of Woodbury Salterton.
The
Chairman of the Woodbury Salterton Residents Association Mr Norman Gordon
thanked Simon Hall for officiating the opening and thanked Pricilla Trenchard
for her suggestion, David Rose for making the shelving and fitting them and to
Debbie and Geoff Jung for their work on renovating the phone box. He also
thanked Woodbury Parish Councillors for firstly purchasing the phone box and for
their support for the project
Simon Hall then
cut the ribbon and explained that he was happy to attend a local event such as
this as it showed that in today’s economic climate where many
local amenities are being cut , some villages are fighting back to help rekindle
community spirit.
After the
ribbon cutting, drinks and savouries were kindly provided by local residents Ann
Blake, Glenys Clark, Priscilla Trenchard, Jenny Kemp and Debbie Jung with the
proceeds going to Church funds.
Spotlight, visited the village of Woodbury Salterton to open the Woodbury
Salterton Book Exchange on Saturday 31st August.
The old redundant phone box which has stood empty in the middle of the
village for a number of years ever since British Telecom removed the phone and
sold the phone box to Woodbury Parish Council for £1!!
The recently
formed Woodbury Salterton Residents Association contacted the Council with an
idea of converting the box into a Book Exchange. The idea came from Committee
member Priscilla Trenchard who read of a similar redundant phone box in
Wiltshire that had been converted to become a book exchange. The Association’s
proposal was to fit book shelves and fill the shelves with donated books and
then to manage and maintain the box. The Parish Councillors approved the scheme
and over the past month local Association members have replaced the broken
panes, cleaned and fitted shelving and filled the shelves with donated
books.
Such was the interest of this innovative change of use that a number of
residents suggested that the project required a ‘Grand Opening’ with ribbon
cutting by a local author and celebration drinks and savouries.
11.30am last Saturday saw the culmination of
the efforts of local residents to return a “sad lonely phone box” unused and
unloved into a useful village amenity. Over 60 residents gathered around the
newly refurbished phone pox in the middle of the village of Woodbury Salterton.
The
Chairman of the Woodbury Salterton Residents Association Mr Norman Gordon
thanked Simon Hall for officiating the opening and thanked Pricilla Trenchard
for her suggestion, David Rose for making the shelving and fitting them and to
Debbie and Geoff Jung for their work on renovating the phone box. He also
thanked Woodbury Parish Councillors for firstly purchasing the phone box and for
their support for the project
Simon Hall then
cut the ribbon and explained that he was happy to attend a local event such as
this as it showed that in today’s economic climate where many
local amenities are being cut , some villages are fighting back to help rekindle
community spirit.
After the
ribbon cutting, drinks and savouries were kindly provided by local residents Ann
Blake, Glenys Clark, Priscilla Trenchard, Jenny Kemp and Debbie Jung with the
proceeds going to Church funds.
THANKS TO GEOFF JUNG FOR THE WORDS AND PHOTOS