Sir John Whittingdale, MP for Maldon, was delighted to attend the Open Day event at East Hanningfield Village Hall to unveil a plaque to mark the completion of the installation works for the new solar panels on the roof of the Hall.
The village has worked hard to raise funds for the panels which will mean that the Hall and Community Shop will avoid the inevitable increase in electricity costs at the end of their current contract on 1st May. In addition, the energy production should exceed the usage for at least half the year providing an income from the Grid.
The cost of installation of around £40,000 was met from donations from the Government’s Queen’s Platinum Jubilee fund, Chelmsford City Council and East Hanningfield Parish Council. A quarter of the funds needed also came from a magnificent fund-raising effort by East Hanningfield Women’s Institute. The project was finally made possible by the announcement by the Government that the exemption from VAT for solar panel installation would be extended to village halls.
Sir John Whittingdale is pictured with Mike Plumridge, Jenny Mouser and Wendy Thomas of the Hanna’s Field Charity which manages the playing fields and the Hall.
