Village halls are vitally important to local communities. They provide a focal point for a whole range of activities, from mother-and-toddler groups to youth clubs, from jumble sales to keep-fit sessions. They are places where people moving into fast-growing residential areas can meet and get to know each other, encouraging the neighbourliness which at times seems to be disappearing from modern society.

Unfortunately the future of some village halls and community centres is in doubt. They are targets for vandals, or they need expensive repairs or improvements doing on them. Grants to do the work usually require a good initial fund-raising effort which some communities are not able to achieve.

At Clayton, though, the local people have rallied round splendidly to save their village hall after structural problems were revealed by the hammering administered during line-dancing classes. The association which runs the hall initiated a fund-raising drive and the villagers rose to the challenge. Jumble sales, coffee mornings, sales of a village calendar and specially-designed mugs have all brought money into the kitty.

With the total now standing at £21,000 and sights set on hitting the £25,000 mark by Easter, the association is on target for the amount it needs for its bid for £250,000 lottery funding. The money raised so far has paid for beams to be strengthened and repairs to a leaking roof, which will enable the hall to be used for other fund-raising efforts.

The Clayton villagers are to be congratulated on their achievements so far. They have shown just what can be done when a community pulls together. We wish them well with their Lottery bid.