AGM
20[th] JULY 2021
Chairman’s Report from 1[st] November 2019 to 31[st] October 2020
Number of general meetings held in the last financial year was 6.
New Trustees
We have had two new trustees. Dean Biddlecombe from Woodend Lane. Dean has a professional background of marketing and web design and is already proving an asset to the committee. Joanne Greening has joined us and has taken over the role of treasurer from Ian Cowan. Can I minute that I would like to thank Ian for all his hard work as treasurer over the years.
Leavers
We were sad to receive the resignation of Tricia Cowan and to note that Kirsten Connolly has taken over her role of secretary. I would like to minute the effort and support that Tricia has given the hall over the years. From helping to organising our events, cooking at the supper nights and especially her skill at seeking out and obtaining grant money to help us achieve all that we have.
Events and Occasions
As we have been in the middle of a pandemic for the past 18[th] months this has of course affected the events that we have been able to put on. But I personally would like to say thank you to all the residents that have supported us when we have asked, for example the successful ‘Christmas takeaway supper night’.
12 Supper nights Clean the Village event Quiz Night Fireworks night Conker Night New Year party and Quiz
Hall Hire
| Blakeney & Awre Parish Council Meetings | 4 |
|---|---|
| Village Hall Meetings and Activities | 12 |
| Training/business days | 8 |
| Private Bookings | 5 |
| Church Meetings | 2 |
| Village Hall Committee meetings | 6 |
| Election – FDDC | 1 |
Money banked from hall bookings and cash tin takings was £1,849. Of this total £1,396 was raised from suppers and £375 from business/training (Helena)
There are no monies outstanding from bookings.
The hall was closed because of covid lockdown from 17[th] March 2020 to 29[th] July 2020
I would like to say a big thank you to our booking secretary Ursula Cross and for everything that she does for us at the Hall. Especially her delicious cakes and cookery and she is always coming up with new ideas and recipes. She is also willing every time I ask her to help me out. This goes as well for Judy Awre who looks after the money tin (petty cash), will always rustle up a cake or donate something when asked and is my right-hand woman for keeping the flower boxes at the hall and wall memorial stocked so that our village looks great in the spring/summer months.
Over £1,3k banked is from the Village Hall Friday night suppers. So big thank you to all that attend, the volunteers who do the cooking and bar and especially our trusted regulars.
Since the last AGM we have received a small business grant from Barnwood Trust. This money was used to purchase the curtains, curtain poles and some new notice boards. We do have some of the money left to replace a window in the hall. But we have not done this work yet, but it is on the list to be fulfilled. I would particularly like to thank Tricia as she was the main instigator in us obtaining this grant.
General
As per our constitution we have a duty of prudence and a duty of care not just to the hall but also to the inhabitants of the parish of Awre and in general to the users of the hall. In light of this, we have carried out and discussed as a committee the below.
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Review of the Health and safety of the hall. Also produced written risk reviews for each main Hall event which are held on file
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Review of the financial policies and procedures
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Review of the reserve policy
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Review of our child safeguarding policy
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Review of our Whistle Blowing Policy
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Review of our Complaints Policy
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Review of Fitness Trail Management Policy
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Review of maintenance and structure of the hall
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Review of general costs of running the hall, insurance, license costs, electric and water costs etc
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Review of Food Safety and Hygiene
2021
We have received some covid business interruption grants from the Forest of Dean Council. We will be using some of these funds to pay for the renovation work on the building including a new kitchen and a new kitchen fan. We will also be increasing our cash reserves for future work.
We have engaged a local builder to replace the fascia around the whole of the building including the guttering and down pipes. The work will be starting mid-September. We are looking to replace the bell tower; we are trying to gauge how much this will cost and we have currently a quote for £1,200. We are looking at other builders.
We are trying to make the hall more eco-friendly and make some carbon savings. The work to achieve this is happening on the 27[th] of July. We have obtained a carbon saving grant from Severn
and Wye energy which will cover some of our costs of doing this. We are getting new LED lights and we will be making the lights in the main hall dimmable, and we will be putting insulation in the roof.
We have put in two air-source heat pumps that will keep the hall warm and dry, especially over the winter months. They are under warranty for 3 years and will hopefully reduce the heating costs by quite a bit over time.
We are hoping to renovate the telephone box and some members of the committee and villagers have agreed to volunteer their time so that we can get this project finished this year. They are also going to help arrange another defibrillator training evening so that we keep our skills up to date. I would like to thank the Parish Council for their ongoing support.
We will be continuing with the supper nights in due course depending on government advice. We will be having the Awresome celebration BBQ on the 14[th of] August and hope to see a lot of the village there as we ease into social situations again. The event will be based outside, and we will continue with the sanitisation points inside and outside of the hall for the foreseeable future.
Constitution
CIO constitution dictates that the hall be used as a village hall for the inhabitants of the Parish of Awre without distinction of sex, politics, religion or other opinions. Particularly for the use of meetings, lectures and classes or other forms of recreation, business and leisure time to improve the condition of life for the inhabitants. So, I would like to ask if you approve that this is the case. First/second
Finally, to give thanks
The village hall is very important to the people of Awre and could not function without the support of this community. This is reflected in the numbers that turn out to support us in our endeavours. We hope to get back to normal soon and start our usual calendar of social events and supper nights. Any suggestions of events to do in the future are very welcome.
We are always looking for new trustees or helpers and if you feel you would like to join, please let us know.
I would like of course to thank all trustees who give up their valuable time and expertise to make sure that the hall runs smoothly and who create a village hall to be proud of.