A Northampton village hall which has served its community for more than a century is entering a new chapter after its trustees announced they are handing over its management to the parish council.

Duston Village Hall, which has been at the heart of the community for 103 years, will now be managed by Duston Parish Council following a decision by its four trustees.

The announcement comes after almost two years of voluntary work by Johnny, Alison, Ian and Hannah to protect the building, maintain its facilities and ensure it remains available for community activities.

During that time, the trustees explored several options for securing the hall's future, including recruiting additional volunteers to continue running the charity.

However, they concluded that transferring responsibility to the parish council offered the most sustainable solution.

In a statement, the trustees explained that managing the building involves considerable responsibilities, including maintenance, finances, administration and regulatory compliance.

They believe the parish council has the resources, financial capacity and organisational support needed to manage these responsibilities.

Importantly, the trustees have stressed that the change will not mean the closure of the charity or any alteration to the hall's charitable purpose.

The building will continue providing space for community groups, activities, social gatherings, private functions and other local events.

The trustees said: "We see this change as an opportunity, not an ending."

They added that the parish council's existing connections with local organisations could help attract new groups and activities to the building.

The four volunteers also thanked everyone who had supported the hall during their time in charge, particularly regular users and those involved in maintaining the facilities.

They said: "Our priority has always been to protect The Duston Village Hall and preserve its purpose for the community. We believe this handover is the best way to secure that future."

Duston Parish Council has welcomed its new responsibilities and pledged to continue the work undertaken by previous generations.

In a statement, the council said: "Duston Parish Council is proud to continue the great work and tradition of Duston Village Hall, which has been serving our community for 103 years."

It added that it wanted the building to remain an important community facility for generations to come.

Anyone interested in booking the hall can email [email protected] for further information about availability and arrangements.