Village Hall Business Team Report

Hunsdon Village Hall

Business Team Projects October 2003

“ Preparing for the Future”

As presented and discussed at this year’s AGM - the Business Team, a sub-committee of the Village Hall Management Committee, has now arrived at Stage Two of the Business Plan.

Following responses received from residents, the Team have produced this list of projects and activities, which have been approved by the Management Committee.

We will now look at funding partners and firm up on costings, time-scales. The final stage will be to arrange further consultation with residents including a public meeting.

For further information, please contact any of the current members of the Business Team: -

Bud Carthy - Tel. 01920 872597

Derek Clark - Tel. 01920 871604

David Kitching - Tel. 01279 843293

Joseph Tirelli - Tel. 01279 842724

Projects: A = Highest Priority, must do’s / B = Possible in Short Term. / C= Desirable in Long Term

Priority

Area

Description / Reasons

Comments

Development Stage

Approximate Cost

Hall

Front Entrance

Upgrade entrance in order to renew Public Entertainment Licence by Nov 2003. To make accessible to all users - Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).

Door crash bars in poor condition causing problems by locking people out. Extremely difficult to open from inside. VHMC unanimously agreed to go ahead after 2 estimates received.

Work completed by chosen builder (Richard Lewis).

Some minor finishing off required before the autumn.

£500

Toilets

Toilets are not accessible to all users as required by DDA.

Bud Carthy reviewed with Richard Lewis (builder).

Three options being considered for medium-term that will last a minimum of 5 years.

£5K to 10K

Rear Plot

1. Provide parking for the disabled as front parking now awkward.

2. Provide storage facility for Quintessence’s costumes and props.

Greater priority as plant & machinery is currently available at very special rates.

Derek reviewing if planning permission needed. External funding for storage. Q’tessence will start fundraising.

£3K to £5K

Kitchen

Kitchen needs a facelift and brought up to hygiene regulations.

The WI and Over Three Score Club cannot cook hot meals for vulnerable groups.

Encourage greater use by locals for children’s parties, weddings and other special occasions.

Derek Clark to find out what is required from school council to meet hygiene requirement.

Bud Carthy to look at options with Richard Lewis.

TBA

Front Gates

Fit Childproof Locks to Front Gates.

Risk of very small children who can very easily open the front gates and run into the road.

Toddler Group has been consulted. Somebody to take ownership and liaise with Liz.

TBA

£100

Hall

Piano

Replace Existing Piano.

The Sylvan Singers & Quintessence who both need the piano perform and raise funds for good causes. The piano technician advised that the existing piano is obsolete.

A good and durable upright piano is more difficult to procure than an electric one.

How to fund incur extra costs for tuning of upright piano.

Mike & Lorraine Newman organised Sound of Music night and raised £150.

More fundraising ideas.

Offer of a piano being considered.

Up to £1K

+ £100 per year for tuning

Toilets

Baby Changing

Facilities

Install A Pull Down Baby Changing Table In The Toilet(S). Currently a mobile lightweight frame & mattress is placed in the Hall during doctor’s surgery and baby clinics. No privacy!

To be incorporated in project for new toilets if possible.

Bud to review with a builder

£500

Projects: A = Highest Priority, must do’s / B = Possible in Short Term. / C= Desirable in Long Term

*Priority*	*Area*	*Description / Reasons*	*Comments*	*Development Stage*	*Approximate Cost*
B	Kitchen Crockery & Cutlery	To Provide One Set Of Crockery To All Users. This will also create more storage space.	Storage space currently taken up by 3 sets.	Karen Clark to discuss with WI & OTSC, possible buy -back scheme.	£100
B	Letter box for prescription	To leave prescriptions when Hall is closed. This could reduce the time needed by parishioners to renew prescriptions and make the process easier for older parishioners.	What are the benefits? Is there a confidentiality / security issue here?	Discuss with Doctors – who?
B	Stage stairs	Gate fitted to side stairs to stop very small children getting onto the stage and fall off at the front.	Nigel Clark has a detachable gate that may be suitable.	Nigel Clark to advise or recommend purchase.	£100
B	Village Museum	To have a permanent or even a living museum. Also put murals on the walls depicting scenes. This would help capture live village history, which currently runs the danger of being lost by succeeding generations.	To consider needs of existing users such as Badminton and Carpet Bowls Clubs.	Working party to include - Reg Burton, Dennis Hollylee, Lilly Franklin
B	Christmas	To help capture the Christmas spirit in the centre of the village. Decorate Hall over Christmas period and encourage carol singing and other events during this period. This would continue the theme of making the village hall a central resource and focal point for the village.	Christmas Village Fayre 11am to 1pm to be held in Hall on Saturday 6 December to raise funds and have fun. Permanent Santa’s Grotto over Christmas period – make accessible in run up to Christmas.	Fundraising sub-committee to advise.	£150
C	Rear Hall Long-Term Redevelopment.	The rear part of the building was built as a temporary structure & has now reached the end of useful economic life. This would impact upon the toilets, kitchen, stage area, & possibly a 2^nd storey, adding a new much-needed committee room & enlarging the stage. This would also add more storage. These areas are well used but are limited by age & design.	This will be a major project and unconfirmed estimates of between £100K to £150K+ may be required. A business Plan & consultancy process will are	Business Team would need a number of volunteers to drive this forward including consultation process with residents. Review past plans and establish planning process.	£100K to £150K

Projects: A = Highest Priority, must do’s / B = Possible in Short Term. / C= Desirable in Long Term

Priority

Area

Description / Reasons

Comments

Development Stage

Approximate Cost

Kitchen or Rear

Snack Bar & Refreshments

Include in kitchen and the big redevelopment. Put in drinks dispenser machine in to raise funds?

Bud Carthy to review with a builder with upgrade of kitchen

Main Hall

New Lighting to improve illumination, reduce energy costs & lamps last longer. Changing light bulbs in the village hall needs to be done frequently and is potentially hazardous.

Joseph who has worked in the lighting industry will manage this project.

Joseph Tirelli to discuss with Fred Hitchens, Phil Gladman and other contacts in the lighting industry.

£3K to £5K

Activities: A = Highest Priority, must do’s / B = Possible in Short Term. / C= Desirable in Long Term

*Priority*	*Area*	*Description / Reasons*	*Comments*	*Development Stage*	*Approximate Cost*
A	Advertise Hire Rates	There is still the capacity for improving the utilisation of the village hall and increasing villagers knowledge of the hire rates can stimulate this.	Review of hire charges and ensure competitiveness.	Fundraising Sub-committee to make recommendations by Jan 2004.	_
A	Advertise Village Events	Traditional means of advertising village hall events need to be complemented by more modern approaches, to ensure that events are available to all villagers.	Apart from Parish Magazine, events and news now publicise on village web site. www.hunsdon.org.uk . Like all organisations, events are advertised on notice boards outside the hall & shop.	Review as required.	-
A	Village Fete	Fete Day - Saturday 6 September. Involved all villagers in helping to raise £2000+ in funds and have fun! This is the major fund raising activity for the village hall and provides a significant proportion of the village hall’s utilisable funding.	Fundraising team did a great job with Jackie Carthy as Team leader. Plans for next year to start and date to be set at next v hall committee meeting. V. Organisations & regulars usually provide the majority of support but all welcome!	For next year, organisers and sponsors are required. Contact the village hall secretary Liz Perry 01279 842702. Help needed on the day to set up, sell programmes and man the tea stand!	£1K
B	Youth Project Club	Open facilities to be inclusive of younger members of village to participate. The village lacks real youth activities and this issue can be seen to be central to a number of the behavioural issues present in the village.	The committee to discuss with the Parish Council and see whether link with the Youth Strategy Group at EHDC.	Obtain Parish Council views. Who?	TBA
B	Community Arts Project			Bud looking at what is involved and how we can facilitate this.
B	Discos	To encourage parties to hire the hall & increase revenue. This project can also be linked with addressing the youth issues alluded to in the Youth Club Project..	This would help funds and increase usage. 5 to 6 people would be required to manage this on the night.	To be discussed

Activities: A = Highest Priority, must do’s / B = Possible in Short Term. / C= Desirable in Long Term

*Priority*	*Area*	*Description / Reasons*	*Comments*	*Development Stage*	*Approximate Cost*
B	Provides Games	Open Access policy for residents Darts / Ten-pin Bowling. Not to compete with the pub!	Needs more thought and information required.
B	Late Licencing	To encourage parties to hire the hall & increase revenue, whilst continuing to address the strategy of promoting the village hall as a central focus for the village.	This would help funds and increase usage.	Approved by VHMC – Each application subject to committees approval.
B	Sunday Hire	There are currently no real alternatives in the village for families who want to celebrate events such as christenings & children birthdays on a Sunday; this strategy is designed to address the shortfall and to increase revenue.	Employment and religious issues were considered. Does not impact on caretaker – hirers responsible to set up and leave hall as found. Booking clerk to advise management committee so key holder available.	Approved by VHMC - Now Implemented. First Sunday booking for Christening went very well.	-
B	I.T Suite	IT facilities are still the domain of the well-heeled IT literate. This strategy is designed to increase communication, whilst ensuring that the web is available to all in the village.	This project will raise issues over open access to the village hall, which has significant security questions.		TBA