HARLECH WI is proving there is more to their organisation than just ‘jam and Jerusalem’ as they roll up their sleeves to help renovate an essential community asset.

In recent months and years, Harlech has sustained a series of bruising blows as several institutions – such as Coleg Harlech, the library and the Lion Pub – have closed their doors for good and others, such as Theatr Ardudwy and Coleg Harlech, are sagas which persist in rolling on.

Aware that Harlech “needs its sense of pride restoring”, the local WI has taken on the challenge of refurbishing the town’s Memorial Hall using their own funds and labour to complete the project.

The women’s institute group makes up approximately a third of the Memorial Hall Committee, who take care of the day to day running of the community facility, but the women’s group has used the hall as their headquarters for over 90 years and have an extreme fondness for the building.

Christine Hemsley, president of Harlech WI, said: “It is important not to underestimate the role of the hall committee, as they have been running the hall for many years. Linda Soar is their secretary and she organizes the program of bookings etc. She and the painting team are the real heroes, WI are the support team!

“At the moment we are just redecorating, and a team of volunteers from the locality completed the painting last weekend, with the WI helping with the less strenuous jobs, and providing them with tea, coffee and refreshments.

“The expenditure is being kept down due to the efforts of this team and the WI have purchased the paint from their funds.

“But the kitchen is in real need of replacement and refurbishment, this is a much more costly project and will need a substantial grant or local fund-raising to finance it."

Mrs Hemsley was keen to point out how essential the hall was for Harlech and for the town’s sense of community.

“There is a whole program of activities planned, it is the only really large meeting place in the town, with a stage and facilities for putting on a variety of events,” she said.

Read the full story in this week’s north editions of the Cambrian News