Fun day held at landmark Telford building

Rain failed to dampen spirits in St Georges, with hundreds of people turning out to enjoy a day of fun and fundraising.

A fun day and barbecue was held the Gower Old School House.

The Gower Heritage and Enterprise Foundation are currently working to bring the building back to life, and the event was the latest in a series held to help raise money for the project.

The event came as it was announced that the group has been given £50,000 to help get the work underway.

Formerly a school, it has also been used as a youth club, and the event was also be a reunion for people who used to visit it during that time.

The event, on Saturday, saw performances by Telford band Savannah among others and visits from the Owl Man, Jac Cassidy and dancers.

Along with the entertainment, there was bouncy castles, stalls and face painting.

There was also catering by the 1968 Foundation, which helps support veterans.

Stephen Handley, from the foundation, said: "Apart from the weather it was fantastic.

"Despite the rain lots of people turned up."

The event was to raise money for the Gower building and to allow it to continue to do events for the community.

The event was helped with fundraising from Asda Donnington, which paid for the musicians, and contributions from Councillors Richard Overton and John Minor's community funds.

The Gower Heritage and Enterprise Foundation has also just been given a £50,000 grant from Telford & Wrekin Council, and the Architectural Heritage Fund to help with its work.

The foundation made a bid to the fund, which supports projects across the country, and this has been match-funded by the council.

The group has spent a number of years campaigning in St Georges to develop a strategy to protect the Gower and make it of use to future generations.

The money will now go towards the £2 million needed for its plans to revive the 144-year-old building with a cafe, nursery, new play area, offices, leisure activity and as a place to tell the history of the area.

Robert Grice, chairman of the foundation, said: "We are very grateful to Telford & Wrekin Council for contributing the match funding to our bid to the Architectural Heritage Fund, it means we are another step closure to our dream of bringing this beautiful building back to its former glory for future generations to discover and enjoy.

"Over the next 12 months we will be using the funds to strengthen our business plan and fundraising, undertake market research, find new partners, recruit more volunteers and prepare a major bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for capital works.

"One of the first things funded by the AHF grant is a survey to assess market potential for proposed uses of the building and its grounds. Please keep an eye out for it."