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THE FUTURE of a 100-year-old community building is under threat.
Dunphail's Edinkillie Hall, an important part of village life since the late 1920s, may have to close for good as the number of committee members running it dwindles and less people use its facilities.
Secretary Karen Astill explained: "We are now struggling to attract new members and, without a coherent committee, we are unable to run fundraising events which are vital to the hall’s future.
"I took over as hall secretary when I moved to the area five years ago, - it was a great way of meeting people and giving back to what I found to be a friendly and welcoming rural community.
"At the time there were regular clubs in the hall over the winter, including bowls and badminton, twice-yearly teas and other events such as ceilidhs, run both by the hall committee and local families. These clubs have gradually folded, due mostly to a lack of new members joining, and the hall is becoming underused."
Edinkillie Hall is a wooden-clad building with a metal roof built in 1927 sits on the A940, eight miles south of Forres. It traditionally hosts community ceilidhs, spring and autumn teas, and private functions.
"We still believe that it has a viable future if the local community rallies round to save it," said Ms Astill. "but it needs more than just one or two people putting in the majority of the work as is happening at the moment.
"In the past, we have been lucky enough to receive funding from Berry Burn Wind Farm Community Fund for specific projects, but the hall needs constant maintenance as well as the day-to-day running costs, and the current level of bookings is not enough.
"A committed and enthusiastic committee could raise funds and re-energise both the hall and the community but we need people to come forward and do their bit."
A recent social media post confirmed that, without new committee members, the hall could close by the end of the year. This has resulted in some people lending their support.
Ms Astill said: "It’s great that we have had more people volunteer their time but we also need engagement by the whole community so the hall provides the things that folk want."
For more information email edinkilliehall@gmail.com.
