Slinfold Magazine item - December 2012

Slinfold Village Hall News

New Volunteers

In the October magazine, we asked for a volunteer Minutes Secretary, and in the November magazine, for volunteer Event Organisers. We are very pleased to report that we received a response to each request, and both from newcomers to the village. We have met with both and the Minutes Secretary attended our November Trustees’ Meeting.

Cinema

Several people have expressed their disappointment at the discontinuation of the Village Cinema, and we have received an offer of some help if we are able to restart it. We are investigating the possibility of having a Cinema evening in February, using one of the ‘touring cinema’ companies that visit other village halls monthly. Unfortunately, it would have to be mid-week (as the companies are already fully booked at weekends) and would likely mean running at a slight loss. Further information next month. Please volunteer if you could help in any capacity — the more help we have the more likely it is that the cinema will happen.

Other Events

We have also had preliminary discussions with our new volunteer Events Organiser about one or two other events we hope to arrange for late winter / early spring. Again, watch this space!

Fund Raising

The fortnightly Bridge Club recently arranged a Bridge Day as a fund-raising event for the Hall. It was attended by over 70 people and raised about £1,000, which we are planning to put towards new chairs. We are very grateful to Arthur Chopping and the other organisers for all the effort they put into this.

Heating

Finally, we would like to apologise that there has been the odd occasion recently when the Hall has not been as warm as we would have liked. The timer for the heating is set up to a week in advance. Weather changes and non-use over weekends can sometimes result in the Main Hall taking longer than usual to warm up — but we are addressing these issues. Hirers can help in two ways:

• First, please ensure that any changes to your bookings are notified as early as possible so that the timers can be set accordingly (and so that we do not heat an unused hall).

• Secondly, please advise us as soon as possible of any problems with the heating or any other building issue. Contact names and numbers are displayed around the building.

Contacts: Neil Peachey (Chairman) -791554,    Trevor Dayneswood (Vice-chairman) – 790374
website: slinfoldvillagehall.co.uk       Additional news & information: blog.slinfoldvillage hall.co.uk

Slinfold Magazine item - February 2012

Slinfold Village Hall News

Blog (contraction of “Web-Log”)

To facilitate the easy and rapid publication of Village Hall information, we have now set up a blog, which is accessible from the menu on our main website or directly from blog.slinfoldvillagehall.co.uk. The Blog will be used to publish information more quickly than can be done through this Magazine, and to publish information and detail not appropriate for inclusion here. It will also contain our published Magazine items (back to early 2010).

Publication of Trustee Decisions

In the January Magazine, we stated that “the amount of Village Hall information [being] published … is actively being increased when volunteer resource permits.” We are pleased to say that since then we have published summaries of the key Decisions from 2011 Trustee Meetings. More information on this subject, and also the Decision Summaries themselves, are available in the Blog.

Hall Redecoration

We are grateful for complimentary comments received following repainting of the Entrance Hall, Main Hall and Kitchen. The cleaning of the Entrance Hall carpet and the stripping down, re-treatment and re-polishing of the hard floors in the Main Hall, Entrance Hall, and toilets is now scheduled for Friday 17^th February.

Cleanliness & Damage

The Village Hall is there to be used, and accidental marks, knocks and scratches will inevitably occur during normal use. Nevertheless, it was rather disappointing to discover crayon and other marks on the walls only 10 ‘hiring days’ after the redecoration. It took the cleaner more than an hour to remove these marks.

If damage of any sort should occur during your use of the Hall, please notify the Bookings Secretary as soon as possible, so that it can be attended to quickly.

Caretaker

We have previously mentioned the loss of several long-term and hard-working trustees and volunteers: it is only when they have gone that you realise how much work some of them did! Because of the increasing burden on fewer people, we are now actively considering the employment of a Hall Caretaker for a few hours per week. This is only in the early stages of planning, but, depending on the person appointed, we envisage that a caretaker would primarily assist in the day-to-day oversight of the Hall, attend to routine jobs, and possibly help co-ordinate volunteer effort.

If anyone would be interested in discussing this opportunity,
we would be pleased to hear from them (contact details below).

Volunteers

The possibility of having a caretaker, does not affect our need for volunteers — but it should reduce the burden on all volunteers, new or existing. We have arranged a meeting with existing, new and possible volunteers on Wed 22^nd February at 7:30 p.m. at the Hall. If you might be interested in helping and would like to find out more — even if you can spare only the occasional hour or two — please contact us or just turn up.

Contacts: Neil Peachey (Chairman) -791554, Trevor Dayneswood (Vice-chairman) – 790374
website: slinfoldvillagehall.co.uk

Summary of Trustee Meeting Decisions - May 2011

1. Trustee Indemnity Insurance agreed to cover the event of anyone challenging the Trustees’ running of the charity, at a cost of £110 per annum.
2. Brass Plaque to be produced in appreciation of the all the time and effort put in to delivering the hall’s extension and refurbishment in 2000.
3. We should consider taking a stall at next year’s school fair.
4. No events to mark hall’s 130^th anniversary, it would clash with the church’s 150^th anniversary.
5. Not feasible to get hirer’s electrical equipment PAT tested. It is the responsibility of the hirer to ensure the suitability of any electrical equipment that they bring in.
6. For the next door code changes, cards will be numbered and kept track of.