BAWDSEY VILLAGE HALL & RECREATION GROUND COMMITTEE
There was a potential crisis for me last year, as I didn’t see how we could continue due to the dwindled numbers on the committee. Luckily, we have had 3 new members who have come onto the committee, which has helped us to make it more manageable. However, we are still short of numbers, as it puts increased pressure on all of us to get everything done.
We had a record Fete last year with a profit of £7000. This keeps us in the black, not only to pay our day-to-day expenses, but also to pay for improvements. It has also enabled us to continue our post covid arrangement of not charging clubs for the use of the hall except for the electricity which they have used.
It was decided to discontinue our annual jumble sales, which we always ran with the church, as support and takings made them unviable. However, we did hold a ‘Preloved Sale’ in aid of ‘Plant Pot & Wellies’ who run an allotment in aid of children & adults with special needs, along with their carers. We were selling a better type of items supplied by them along with some kind donations of cakes and help from people in the village. We raised £572.
Our Pop-up-Pubs stalled a bit at the end of last year, as we had to cancel the Halloween one. Our next was after the ‘Christmas Tree light up’ which not many people attended, and the New Years eve again which was not well attended. However, our next will be on Friday 11[th] April, where we are expecting our normal contingent from PGL returning from their winter break.
We are faced with renewing our fire risk assessment with help from a paid advisor. We have already had our PAT testing done on all our portable equipment, and a fire extinguisher has been renewed. We have had to put in an extra light over the exit door, which is in hand, and move the waste bins away from the side of the building, as they could be a fire risk. The Parish Council need to decide what will happen to the Tetra bag deposit attached to the side wall. New instructions for hall hirers are being drawn up.
The gas BBQ will be moved into a new metal shed being erected this month at the back of the hall, along with the Parish Council filing cabinet, and the new outdoor chairs which at present are in the old wooden shed used at present, also, by the Parish Council to house the Tetra boxes.
After extensive search for a portable ramp to allow a mobility scooter into the hall, it has been decided that a permanent cement will have to be built, with a removeable wooden piece to bridge the step.
This year we are working on a more effective heating system for the village hall.
There is a rat problem at the end of the Recreation Ground and adjacent houses. Rats only come if there is enough food to eat. We have taken out a year’s rat clearance programme to help clear the problem, although we are not responsible for the food source which they have apparently found.
The Community Garden at the back of the hall will be continued this year by the six people, on 9 plots. There are apparently other people interested in taking out a plot this year.
We have had WIFI reinstalled FOC by Sky, after our free service was discontinued when we lost the signal being sent from the Martello tower at Shingle Street.
We have replaced the old wooden fence surrounding the children’s play area with a metal one with self-closing gates
We have some exciting news with reference to our Fete this year which will be on the 26[th of] May Whit Bank Holiday Monday. PGL have invited us to run the Fete at Bawdsey Manor. Some of their activities will be open for children to try, with a donation bucket for a Children’s Charity. There will also be Bawdsey Manor tours organised by the Radar group, and this has caused much interest. It is a great opportunity for us, but we will still need support from the village, with help also from the PGL staff. At present 40% of the helpers at the fete come from family and friends from outside the village. We know that at least 10% of the people who helped us last year can’t this fete. Without this kind offer from PGL we would have to have considered cancelling our long-standing fete. Most of the people coming to the Fete, come anyway by car, and come from outside the village. We will endeavour to arrange for people who need a lift, to get to & from the village and the manor. It is hoped that we get enough volunteers for the people on stalls to have a break and PGL have offered a lot of help, without it I do not think we would have a Fete.
We are planning to have a Pop-up-Pub in the evening of the Fete from 6pm-10.30pm.
A big thank you to all the Committee who work so hard for our village through the year, without them we probably would not have a village hall etc., and all those who support us.