The Bouverie Hall is at the heart of the community in Pewsey and next month a special event will mark its 25th anniversary.

Local historian Richard Giles will give a talk about the hall’s history on July 10 at 7.30pm, and there will be a display of photographs of Pewsey.

Chairman of the Bouverie Hall committee Cheryl Underhill said: “It’s a chance for those that were involved at the very beginning to remember all that went into it because they had to raise a lot of money.

“Also, it’s a chance for people who use the hall to to realise that it’s 25 years old because for a long time it’s been known as the new hall.”

The original village hall in Phoenix Square was bought by Canon Bertand Pleydell-Bouverie in 1898 and was used until 1989.

Building work on the new hall in North Street was completed at the end of June in 1989 and it officially opened in September.

Mrs Underhill said: “The original hall was in need of a lot of refurbishment and it wasn’t in a very good location, so that’s why it was decided another building was needed. There were plans to move it to the old cinema building until that was pulled down.”

The new hall was a result of a huge fundraising effort by the Pewsey community who oversaw the design and building work.

It is inused for a variety of functions including a number of carnival events and is booked by many different groups including Pewsey Vale Amateur Dramatics, the WI and the gardening club.

A committee of ten volunteers maintain the hall and they are hoping that money raised from the event can be put towards upgrading the hall including redecorating and new electrics.

Mrs Underhill said: “It’s the hub of the community, people would miss out if we didn’t have it.”

Tickets for the anniversary event cost £7, inclusive of a drink and nibbles, from The Gallery and Around the World in Pewsey.