– BMH Annual Report
2019 -2020 has been a unique year in the history of the Memorial Hall in that Covid has closed down virtually all activities for six months. We are only just seeing the re-emergence of regular hirers apart from Beckington Cricket Club who have managed some fixtures in the last couple of months. We are indebted to David Norman and Stan Wilson who have spent a lot of time putting together the Hall Covid protocols and health and safety policies to make the return of hirings possible.
November 2019 saw the enforced cancellation of Fireworks Night because of bad weather after a lot of preparation by Stan Wilson and his subcommittee. Fortunately this was followed by an outstandingly successful panto by the Beckington Players which brought a handsome profit donated to the Hall and a well-attended evening of opera in February when the White Horse Opera’s production of The Mikado in St. George’s church was much enjoyed. Our thanks to Debs Burns, Pam Portsmouth-Layton and Roz Searle for running this and the church wardens for their very helpful support. Since then, sadly, no events have been possible and this year’s Fireworks and Panto have had to be cancelled.
All this has placed a strain on Hall finances but we have been helped by generous Government grants which have kept us going. Despite the lack of hiring income we have managed to complete several maintenance jobs. A new heater has at last been fitted in the Clifford suite, we have replaced the sagging section of the perimeter fence with a post and rail and we have fitted a new keypad system in the main Hall and Clifford suite. The need for the latter was partly caused by the demands of our insurers and the much felt loss of Gary Peters, our Booking Secretary, whose sterling service over a number of years we have much valued.
In his place we are employing Sara Coffield who is running the booking system and also acting as Hall Secretary and Archivist. At this point I should like to thank the Committee for their hard work and support - David Norman as Treasurer, those already mentioned in this report and Mike Collins our excellent choir representative. We have also been joined by Hannah Drury from Springmead and Floor Holmes representing Beckington Players. Despite these welcome additions we still need new blood and we have also lost the valued services of Ian Morris to whom we owe many thanks. In the continuing absence of a younger volunteer, I have agreed to continue for one more year as Chairman.
And for the future? Who knows? Once we have a clearer picture of future hiring and events income we would like to replace the unattractive and deteriorating high fencing along the Bath Road boundary of the field. Redecoration of the main Hall and Clifford is due and the lavatories and changing areas will soon need modernisation. The Play Area remains a concern. It passed its ROSPA inspection this July but insurance and H&S issues will increasingly demand renewal and replacement; the considerable cost of which is well beyond the Hall’s finances and will need some form of community fund raising to achieve.
Let us hope that the post-Covid era will see these requirements realised.
David Prince BMH Chairman 14[th] September 2020
BECKINGTON MEMORIAL HALL
R•gl•tsrvd Ckrty 304484
10 No¥2D20 11.'08
INCOME
ThIFy4w yNf EXPEMDrruRE
ThI•yo#r
PTrYkJy••r
ng ol H•ll and Fl•ld
To Vle OrgonLsation5
To vilge (knni¥aknoris
To Crlth8t Club
Hall Rtsnnlrvd eo%ts
5.391
11.4T2
8,877
13.931
Ham c8M9 C
BECKINGTON MEMORIAL HALL
R•gl•tsrvd Ckrty 304484
10 No¥2D20 11.'08
INCOME
ThIFy4w yNf EXPEMDrruRE
ThI•yo#r
PTrYkJy••r
ng ol H•ll and Fl•ld
To Vle OrgonLsation5
To vilge (knni¥aknoris
To Crlth8t Club
Hall Rtsnnlrvd eo%ts
5.391
11.4T2
8,877
13.931
Ham c8M9 C