'Ugley sisters' return to Essex village that hosted their weddings to raise money for hall
ITV News Anglia's Sophie Wiggins chats to the 'Ugley brides' who have been taking a trip down memory lane
Two sisters who both got married in one of the most unfortunately-named places in the country have returned to the scene of their weddings in a bid to help raise much-needed funds for the village hall that hosted their receptions.
Jill Hunt, and her sister Penny Bull, both tied the knot in the quaint Essex village of Ugley in the late 1970s.
After getting married in the local church, they then headed down to the nearby village hall to carry on their celebrations.
"The people in the village were very excited and I can remember that the wedding car that brought me here had to go slow past people so that they could say hello and everything like that," Jill reminisced.
As a way of saying thank you, the siblings recently went back to the hall for a special event as part of National Village Halls Week - a campaign which shines a spotlight on the contribution halls make to their communities.
Like many village halls across the country, the building in Ugley is now starting to show its age, and it's estimated it costs around £10,500 a year to maintain.
"Quite recently we discovered that our emergency lighting needed to be put up to modern standards and we had to pay almost £5,000," Ugley Village Hall Committee Secretary Stephanie Burlison said.
"Until that was done, we weren’t able to continue hiring out the village hall. We have to find the money from somewhere."
The hall is now more than 100-years-old, having first been donated to the village in 1920 as a memorial to honour those who lost their lives in the war.
It even survived being hit by a German bomb in the Second World War - largely thanks to government compensation that meant it could be restored after the conflict was over.
However, with energy bills continuing to rise, the building could be about to face its biggest challenge yet - although locals aren't prepared to let it go without a fight.
"I think it’s really important, because in Ugley this is our only community hall," said local resident Lynda Webb, whose son also had his wedding reception at the hall.
"There are so many people here that we wouldn’t see unless we met them here."
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...