Caynham Village Hall AGM 11th May 2015

Chairman’s Report

The Village Hall has continued to host regular meetings of groups from the local community: Caynham Ashford WI, Caynham and District Gardening Society, the Wine Appreciation Group, Caynham Book Exchange and Jenny Daniel’s weekly Yoga Class. Caroline Prentice arranged monthly film shows for local families. St Mary’s Church held the annual Harvest Supper at the Village Hall and Paula Spencer organised a round of the Shropshire Village Hall Quiz.

Paul and Diane Woodbridge ran a series of open Pub Nights which we hoped would encourage more Caynham residents to visit the Village Hall. Sadly, despite their valiant efforts, assisted by Terry Anley and other committee members, these attempts to engage with more of the village met with little response.

However, there were also successes. The Big Breakfast in February was as popular as ever; Gill Bissell and Sue Lloyd once again led the kitchen team. We combined forces with St Mary’s Parochial Church Council to provide two Sunday lunches, in July and December, which attracted good attendances. Jill Bufton and her ‘team’ together with Juliet Jones, Sue Lloyd, Caroline Prentice and Diane Woodbridge collaborated to produce the three-course meals. The December lunch was inspired by Nancy Pike and Paula Spencer, who provided the main courses. These events raised useful funds for the Village Hall and the Church. The Caynham Shoot, organised by Ray Bufton, was also a very significant source of income.

There have been a series of contentious local planning applications recently, most notably on the former playing field and car park and the proposed solar farm in Whitton. The Village Hall Committee have no remit to speak for the village on these matters, although the Hall often provides a forum for meetings and discussions. However, in the case of the playing field and the car park – the closure of which directly affects the Hall –we took action and succeeded in getting the site listed as an Asset of Community Value. This does not stop development but does hinder it by allowing us to require a 6 month embargo on any sale in order for us to make a bid ourselves. The listing by Shropshire Council has been opposed by the owners of the site, first in a review which upheld the listing, and currently in an appeal to the Land Tribunal which is still in progress. We have contributed significant documentary evidence to all three stages of this process and are hopeful that the Tribunal will find in our favour (note: it did, appeal was refused).

The newsletter is now over a year old. It is still just one double-sided A4 sheet, but sometimes rather crowded. Increasingly it carries genuine news items as well as details of events. Distribution depends on a band of local volunteers, organised by Lester Bennett, and we would like to thank them for their help.

We also owe a huge debt of thanks to Paul and Diane Woodbridge who are standing down from the Committee. Paul has been Treasurer since 2010 and was previously Chairman from 2000 to 2005. Diane has been a committee member and Bookings Clerk continuously since 2002. We are very grateful for their contributions - their experience and enthusiasm will be sorely missed. Sue Lloyd, who has led the catering team at many events, is also standing down and we are very grateful for her contribution too. This leaves the Committee seriously depleted and urgently in need of new members, particularly those willing to take on executive roles such as Chairman or Secretary.

Regular visitors to the Village Hall will be aware of what some have termed its ‘charm’: draughty floors, poor insulation, faded décor and cracks in the walls. There will soon be changes. From 18^th May the Hall will be closed for repairs to the walls and repainting of the internal plasterwork and external render. This work should be completed by the end of May.

Meanwhile, our intention to improve disabled access has developed into plans for a major refurbishment. Terry Anley has led on this project, which is hoped to include a new, insulated floor, improved roof insulation, a new wheelchair-friendly entrance and lobby and repainting the internal and external walls of the main hall. This will be expensive and will require grant funding. It is very important that we can demonstrate to the grant awarding bodies that we have support from the village for the proposals. In mid-June, once the Hall has re-opened after the repairs, we will be holding an open exhibition of our plans and looking for ideas and opinions from the village. Please come along and support the project: your help is essential. You may not have the time to be a committee member, but you can do this to ensure your Village Hall has a future.

David Faulkner, Chairman