IN a superbly smooth evening, one of relaxation and fun, ladies took the chance to have a massage or their nails done, talk about make up and clothes and food and all the good things to help a community struggling to help itself.

Many years ago Copplestone lost its old, wooden village hall. Houses now stand on the site. Plans began to be made for a new hall.

But as is the way, there were hiccups. Now Copplestone Recreation Association has more than 15 members at its regular meetings and fundraising is in full swing. Friday evening’s Ladies Night raised £1,892 at the Waie Inn, Zeal Monachorum.

Plans for the new hall were on show at the Waie Inn with a statement that said: “Taking the baton from the hard work and dedication of the late John Mason, the newly-formed fundraising committee has started full throttle with no intention of slowing down until we get our Community Hall.”

There have been three events so far, raising nearly £4,000 with lots more ideas. To see how to help and check progress there is the village website and the Community Hall “Facebook” page.

On Friday evening the Association chairman, Ken Warren, said Copplestone had a population of 1,500 but no village hall. A community hall had been designed to meet the various needs of the parish.

“We have the land, we have planning permission but we cannot afford to build. The hall would meet the needs for sport with two badminton courts, indoor bowls, changing facilities for the football club who have done a lot for our village, and to provide a hub,” he said.

There were 20 different stands offering everything from skin care, aromatherapy oils, plants and flowers, knitwear, cakes, cards, jewellery and more, and most of the traders living in Copplestone, with a lot being hand made. Each trader had kindly donated a prize for the enormous raffle.

Two fashion shows ran through the evening featuring clothes from Crediton shops Kathea and Snob. Models were Suzanne Lunn, Claire Turner, Gwen Trendell, Jan Flavin, Izzy Watkins, Ophelia Dyer, Maia Andrews, Kylie Hounsell, Jan Fowler, Nikki Ware, Jill Yates, Mia Marchant-John and Emma Ransom-Bellamy. Some were members of Copplestone Community Choir.

For a £5 donation, people could Buy a Brick, putting their names on a large “wall” of bricks.

Chief organiser, Jill Pike, told the “Courier”: “Everyone gave their services free that evening - the Waie Inn, Pianoraks, Richard Ward the MC, Lloyd Smale his assistant, Homeleigh Crediton Garden Centre, and Andrew Drayton the Tesco Community Champion.

“Andrew worked hard that evening, welcoming traders, carrying their products up and down stairs, even armed with chocolates donated by Tesco and he Hoovered up!”

Pianoraks, Ian Richardson and Bill Young, played a wide range of music.

Part of the total raised included the £300 sponsor money from the events main sponsor Val Barker Jewellers.

Sue Read