A historic parish church has received more than £60,000 in funding to help renovate a hall and create awareness of its history.

St Mary's Church in High Road, South Woodford, has been awarded up to £66,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to refurbish the memorial hall that sits beside it.

Funds will also be used to employ Deborah Aloba as the hall's heritage engagement officer for a year.

Reverend Ian Tarrant and trustees at the church have been fundraising for the hall's refurbishment for the last four years.

The Woodford Memorial Hall was initially a gift by local businessman Sir John Roberts, and opened in 1902.

It was extended by local subscription in 1904 and has been used by the local community for over 100 years.

Ms Aloba's duties will include organising public events and creating an oral, audio and visual history of the hall for the Church's archives.

To make the history project a success, the Church is looking to hear from members of the community that have been involved with the hall since 1902.

Ms Aloba is also keen to unearth memories of war-time prime minister and Woodford MP for 40 years, Sir Winston Churchill, and female rights activist Sylvia Pankhurst, who lived in Woodford until the late 1950s.

Anyone with information can email woodfordhalle18@gmail.com or get in touch on Twitter using @woodfordhallE18.