In the past year almost exactly to date we can honestly report “a back to near normal” run of the village hall with weekly/monthly hirers and village hall events. We have been officially open well over a year from July 2021 and as well as local events we have opened the doors to a varied audience of people wishing to hire the hall for dinners, children and adults parties, venus for AGM’s and special celebratory occasions, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s anniversaries, funerals, christenings and dinner dances. Functions are generally supported by the additional hire of the bar facilities.
It was good to be able to resume our festive celebrations following the previous year. We welcomed the Birmingham University students back and held our Christmas village dinner as well as an outdoor light festival. The year has then progressed with an opening to many events, in January we all enjoyed a murder mystery which included Tina and Peter Coles most amazing sound effects,a skittles night, an Easter bingo night and a visit from Live and Local presenting George Egg-the amazing chef who cooks a splendid meal using garage tools!
In June we as a village celebrated the Queens Platinum Jubilee celebration, the longest reigning monarch as we have ever known. We held a 50’s night which was fun and so in keeping, the following day after a service of thanksgiving in church we had an extraordinary number of families turn up for a shared indoor street party with a wonderful cake competition, singing and a most able Morris dancing troop. A weekend to remember.
In September we held a most successful Quiz night with the infamous Ian Grafton as Quiz master-we were thrilled that this bought in 74 visitors. Another variety night followed, with excellent acts and artists-varied in every way.some 84 very happy audience left that night. The community have now an excellent skittle alley made by the Shedmen. It was christened on 4th November – it looks as though it will be a popular piece of kit to hire for all sorts, we look forward to many skittle evenings.
We have continued to run some enjoyable and busy coffee mornings, one being for Macmillan charity but unfortunately we have given the pub evenings a good try before calling it a day! We have held a walk/ramble in each season of the year and enjoyed some new places on our doorstep, Tenbury ramblers and other walkers have used the car park as a start and finish for their rambles, kindly paying a small amount for parking.
The hall has continued to focus on the garden project-by moving the shed, clearing the play area and fitting decorative panels, resurfacing the stone and providing some log stools.There is a pleasant area for children to play and for us to sit in the evening sun. Ten bird boxes went up in spring around the village, thank you to the R S P B.
A second project waiting in the wings is to aid performance. A large screen, projector and speakers are ready to be installed and we look forward to starting a film evening very soon. We are looking at electric car charging points with captor energy, we were fortunate to receive a grant from the government and a small amount from Malvern Hills. We have received help in the form of 45 percent towards organising and planning of the pond by the silver tree., This comes from Natural Networks.The plan would be to clear out the pond and afterwards to maintain it each year.
Thus there is a business plan in the making; this village hall is being used on a good regular basis and we need to be looking at the building, maintaining repairs, considering new kitchen equipment, decoration and looking after the property——it is a big house——it has a lot of bills for heating, insurance, fire and safety checks and equipment.
We have held approx 10 committee meetings this year, sub committees for maintenance, affairs which deals with the pond management and telephone box and ongoing projects. We have had help and share ideas from neighbouring village halls as well as continue to use the services of community first for information on village halls, grants, health and safety issues and latest opportunities available for community.
Our resident hirers, weekly or monthly include an art class, St. Michaels Singers, a fitness class, zumba, Scottish dancing, garden club, mums and tots, Womens Institute and Floral Arts.
We are highly honoured and appreciative of the extra help we have received from you all and wouldn’t exist supporting the hall without the endless help of others — Vernon Albert has helped us a lot with the garden projects, a volunteer dad from mums and tots too. Peter Crownshaw and John Rielly have helped with the stage, Peter made us a couple of super planters. Margaret Rogers kindly helps us with extra car parking spaces in her field. Paul Kemp has kept the photo gallery going with updated events. Brian Addis comes a good distance to help with sound systems. Ann Wallace helps provide up and coming poster ideas. Julie Cook and Mark Brooks help keep the weekly blog, sword and advertising generally flowing. Ann Lewis does a great job with the weekly cleaning. Yourselves for endless stacking chairs and tables plus supporting the activities of the hall.
“I never fail to be amazed by people”, a pet statement of mine! The village hall committee are amazing! Their curriculum vitae — ability to give input and ideas, to carry out duties, work as a team, a doer and take turns to make the tea!
I am proud and delighted to have worked with Cherry, Robin, Pat, Geoff, Jane, Mark, Di, Gary, Simon and Ros. If I explained their roles and services they have performed this year we would be here till next week. They all put in an enormous amount of time into this hall and because of involvement and commitment and working together hasn’t appeared to be a burden. We are sorry to be loosing Ros Baylis this year, but she has kindly offered to still take care of the coffee morning rota.
With your permission I am happy to proceed with a further year as chair and do my best to serve as best I can with such a great team. Thank you to you all and others in the village for your interest and attendance in a number of events thus using the hall and its facilities. We are always ready to hear of new ideas, classes or events, please come forward with them.
Thank you for listening and being here, we all need one another in this climate, stay close, we need you very much!
Ros Plested
