Our village hall built in 1934, is in dire need of renovation. Low-budget, flat-roofed extensions were added in the 1990s causing lots of issues now. After community consultations, we secured planning permission to renovate.
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Due to the size of the renovations, we have split the build into phases:
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Phase 1 – Remove original single-skin post office extension and rebuild a new insulated toilet block/new lobby in its place. Fully insulate the main hall and add underfloor heating.
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Phase 2 – Remove original single-skin porch and men's toilet extension and rebuild a new insulated backstage/post office/community storage area. Reinstate the main stage in the hall. Replace original roof tiles on the main hall.
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Phase 3 – Remove original single-skin kitchen, café and ladies toilet extension and rebuild a new insulated kitchen and separate café area with its own entrance and toilet facilities. The new café can be rented out as a separate, more intimate space for smaller groups
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Phase 4 – Add patio doors and full height windows to the rear of the hall leading out onto a new raised patio area to make full use of the previously inaccessible extensive rear garden. This will enable events to be spread out inside and outside allowing social distancing, ventilation and a one-way system, if required.
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With huge amounts of community fundraising, grants from HS2 and Stratford District Council, we have just completed the Phase 1 build. A huge thank you goes to Sam White and his team for doing such an amazing job refurbishing the main hall, building a new toilet block and porch. Also, we would like to thank every single person who donated and supported us in anyway during this process. It is very much appreciated and we hope you enjoy the new facilities. Lots of new activities and events are now in the planning, make use of the warm, dry, welcoming atmosphere in the main hall.
We are now in the process of securing funding for Phase 2 which again will be a mix of community fundraising and grant applications. The remaining phases are extremely important to complete in quick succession. Not only to provide better facilities to our villagers and wider visitors, but to ensure the older parts of the building do not compromise the newly renovated areas.
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Our charity primarily runs and maintains the hall but we also provide as many socialising opportunities and services as we can to our small, rural village. The village has a pub, a church and a hall and very limited public transport links. Our hall has deteriorated considerably over the last 10 years and the social interactions and activities have declined alongside this, many clubs and classes have closed or not wanted to hire the hall after the initial visit. Those activities that stayed, have been the focal point for many of our villagers.
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Without the hall, children and the elderly would have extremely limited activities in the village and issues with accessing services and social activities elsewhere. This can lead to social isolation, lack of confidence and mental health issues in some. The hall events bring people together, for shared experiences, opportunities to converse, meet new people and create new friends. These events can only continue if the hall can continue to offer the space for these events in the decades to come. After eighty years of continual use, the next eighty years will require some investment by the present generation to sustain the hall’s future.
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This of course, all comes at a cost and this time we need to raise around £250,000 through a mixture of grants and donations. Rest assured, we are busy applying for as many funds as we are eligible for.
If you would like to support us in the drive to Phase 2, there are many ways you can help.
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Firstly, you can directly donate at JustGiving. If you are a UK Taxpayer, we can also reclaim the giftaid on your donation.
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Secondly, if you would like to fundraise directly for us, you can follow this link and create a page linked to ours. We don't mind if you do a sponsored skydive, cycle, run, bake, silence, sleep anything goes! Just let us know and we will help promote your page.
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Lastly, come along to any of our events and eat, drink and be merry. If you have any event ideas you would like to chat with us about, we are all ears!
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