In 2007, following my wife’s death, I returned to my home country Sri Lanka and made a decision to build a memorial in loving memory of my wife for the benefit of my local community. Prior to my arrival in Gunnapana, a remote, underdeveloped village, the community had no such facility.

In 2009 building began on a village hall at the local temple and after four years of work the Hanna Wijesinghe Brooke Newton Hall was opened in 2013. The hall is used on a daily basis by the Busy Bees Nursery that is located next to the temple. It is also where social workers are able to provide assistance to the poor. It acts as a classroom for local schools as well as a Sunday school (Dahampasala) which is attended by at least 500 children every week. On occasion as many as 4000 people at a time have attended and benefited from the facility.

Five years on, I did not realise the huge impact this hall would have on the people in my village and how truly grateful they would be. As the hall becomes more and more popular, it is my plan to expand the space and create a second floor. However, I am no longer able to independently fund this project after investing over £300,000, therefore I have created this page to request contributions, big or small to enable the second floor of the hall to be built and further refurbishments made. Any donations will be greatly appreciated by myself, Peter Wijesinghe, my family and the people in my community.