Council grants ring the changes for local phone box

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Phone box

Councillors made the right call when they put funds towards the restoration of a traditional red phone box in Hammer Vale. 

The phone box had been derelict for some years and Hammer Vale residents were keen to have it restored and brought back into use. 

Bramshott and Liphook Parish Councillors directed £4,500 of developer contributions to the project, while East Hampshire District Councillor Bill Mouland gave £500 from his Councillor Community Grants. 

The careful restoration, carried out by Ralph Restorations, has resulted in a fabulous box looking good as new and it will now be used as an information hub for the community and visitors to the area. 

The box, located outside the Prince of Wales pub, now contains a map of the area and some activities for children and, shortly, there will be information about walks in the local area and some local history information. 

The parish council Chairman, Cllr Jeanette Kirby, was delighted to visit the refurbished telephone box and meet residents who had worked for some years to get the project off the ground. 

Cllr Mouland’s grant helped pay for the information board in the phone box. Another grant, from Hampshire County Council's Debbie Curnow-Ford saw the installation of a defibrillator outside the pub.

Sarah De Marcos, Chair of the Hammer Vale Phone Box Restoration Project, said: “The residents of Hammer Vale are delighted with both the restored Phone Box and new Defibrillator. 

“Our community group has been working together for several years on this project and it’s wonderful to see it complete. 

“The phone box has been carefully restored and is now a fully functioning information hub. We look forward to it being a central point in our community for all to enjoy. 

“As a community, we are very grateful to Bramshott & Liphook Parish Council and individual councillors for their support. 

“We hope the phone box will be appreciated by many generations to come.” 

Every EHDC councillor has £3,500 to spend on local events and projects. Find out if your community project could be supported by your local councillor

Cllr Community Grants