A Parish Hall to be proud ofBy Mike Senior
The Autumn months have also seen several other developments at the Parish Hall. September saw the installation of a new heating system – a combination of night storage and a booster for immediate heat. The good news is that the heating can now be controlled simply through one control panel. By the end of October, in time for the Christmas season, we were due to have 60 new comfortable chairs. The next major expenditure will be replacing the internal walls so that they will have a properly plastered surface and that is scheduled for next Spring.
The Marketing group is being active and it is good to see that the Hall is being increasingly used. A Wine Club, Dog-Training session and Keep Fit are now regular events, together with the children’s Play School, the W.I. and the monthly Teas for the Third Age group. In addition an increasing number of children’s parties are taking place in the Hall. A special mention must be made of Susan Allison’s tree and flower tubs – they really make a difference to the appearance of the Hall. We are moving towards a Parish Hall that we can be proud of.
All these improvements, of course, need cash and the people of the Parish have been very generous in supporting the various Parish Hall events. The next two are the Roving Supper and the Bonfire and Fireworks (see Dear Diary). Please come - you will be very welcome.
In October, Pat Pidgeon decided to stand down as Booking Secretary. Pat has been a great supporter of both the Youth Club and the Parish Hall over many years and we all want her to know that her contribution has been very much appreciated.
Curtain sage draws to a close
By Pippa Hart
Nearly four years
ago I went to meet the head teacher of our local Leeside Nursery School at
the Parish Hall. After going through the formalities of discussing our eldest
daughter Daisy’s admission to the school I commented on the curtains: “Could
anything be done to update them?” Three years later I somehow found myself
on the Parish Hall Committee – and new curtains were finally an item on the
agenda! But with the extension and improvements to the building higher on
the agenda, I watched my longed- for new curtains going to the bottom of the
committee’s priority list. Undaunted, I asked if the committee coffers would
pledge £250 towards the cost of the curtains if I could manage to persuade
the Lee Locals and hall- users to fund the rest. “Agreed!” said the Chairman.Three months later we had raised nearly £1,200 from our ‘Sponsor a Metre’ initiative, and the project did not need to be subsidised by a penny. Karel Lewis and Ann Ash then set to, cutting up metres and metres and metres of material and cajoling and co-ordinating their team of able seamstresses into making ten pairs of beautiful new red and white checked curtains – and on a wet Monday afternoon at the end of June a working party arrived with hooks and tools and Black & Deckers, and the new curtain rails were drilled to the wall and the curtains were finally hung!
My personal “mission accomplished” – and a few weeks later our youngest daughter, Freya, finished her time at the Nursery School! But thanks to the generosity of all those who contributed their money, time and handiwork we can all continue to enjoy the bright and cheerful curtains and our ever-improving village hall.
A “Thank You” tea will be held at 3:00 pm at the Parish Hall on Thursday 16th November for all those who have been involved in this project.