VISITORS can now hear goings on at a busy village hall more clearly after a new hearing loop was fitted thanks to a £2,000 grant.

The cash was awarded to Ashton under Hill village hall by the Severn Waste Environmental Fund.

The hearing loop has been installed by Gordon Morris Ltd, an experienced hearing loop installation company.

The first group to use it was the Ashton under Hill WI, whose meeting had to be moved indoors due to wet weather, and hearing aid users in the group reported that it made a big difference.

Brian Stephens, chairman of Ashton under Hill Social Centre - which runs the village hall, playing fields, children’s play area and village tennis courts - said he was "delighted" to receive the financial support from the Severn Waste Environmental Fund.

He said there had been several requests from hall users for a hearing loop, but that without the assistance it would have been a significant stretch of the hall finances.

"The Social Centre receives funds from the impressive Ashton Open Gardens event, the parish council and from income from letting the hall and Green Room," he said.

"This income funds the maintenance of the facilities, running costs and insurances, and small improvements as they can be afforded.The cost of the hearing loop is a significant proportion of the annual budget."

The hearing loop is now available to all hall users.