Okehampton Town Council has reported that the Sponsor a Slate scheme has already raised over £400 towards the cost of the Charter Hall roof repair.

Since the initiative opened in October this year, through which Okehampton residents could donate £10 towards a roof slate, the town council has raised a total of £420 for the repair.

The repair would see a new ventilation system installed since the old one has broken and is starting to let rain into the building which has damaged the roof.

The repair work was due to take place before covid but following the outbreak of the pandemic the council was forced to put the work on hold.

Now with the cost-of-living crisis, the council has estimated that the cost of repair work will have at least doubled. It is now aiming to match the £250,000 which had already been set aside for the work.

The Sponsor a Slate scheme has been put on the backbench but the council will renew the campaign in the new year.