People often wonder why there is such a large community centre and sports hall in such a relatively small village. For that we must give thanks to the foresight and hard work of villagers and fund raisers in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, many of whom are mentioned below.
The village was steadily growing in size, many of the farms were sold and new housing estates being erected. In the early 1970’s there were still no facilities in the village for group gatherings.
The visiting doctor held his surgery in the front room of a house in Main Street; the baby clinic was held in the Bricklayers Arms; the W.I. met in the village school, the Senior Citizens held their Christmas Party at the Working Mens’ Club (now known as The Thornton) and there was no church hall.
The Parish Council owned the recreation ground between Main Street and the reservoir, but there was no proper access from Main Street until the owner of a house in Main Street agreed to sell part of their garden.
This together with support from the Parish Council for a village hall, gave rise in 1969, to a group of villagers led by the Vicar Rev. John Seymour forming a committee comprising of Mr. W.D. Welsh (headmaster of Thornton school), Mr Len Chaplin, Mrs Gwen Warner, Mr A. Spencer and Mrs Iris Gleeson.
They began fund raising in earnest and visiting other local village halls for inspiration.
By 1973 the main hall was built on land leased from the Parish Council for a ‘peppercorn’ rent, an agreement that still exists today.
The hall was officially opened on 8th September 1973 by Colonel R.A. St George Martin, OBE, JP, chairman of the Leicestershire Rural Community Council.
The addition of a separate sports hall was completed in 1988 and officially opened on 10th September by Lieutenant Colonel John Heggs of the Leicestershire Rural Community Council.
Thornton 