Neville Jelfs
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Our Village Hall is busy and well used by many clubs and organisations including the following:-
The Parish Council has an attached office which is open once a week usually on Monday mornings between 9:30 and 12:00. At election times, the polling station is set up in the Village Hall. We also have WiFi and a Snooker Club with a full size table which has been recently refurbished. The hall is available for regular bookings and functions at reasonable rates. It has a good sized, well equipped kitchen and also free car parking. It is well signposted when driving along Main Street and is opposite to the Petrol Station. To book the Hall please contact Bill & Annie Payne on 01386 858368. You can also enquire by email at Find out more about the hall here. 22nd March 2017 Cotswold District Council announced that 65 village and community halls, village shops were exempted from rates until at least 31st March 2020. This saved them collectively a further £20,100 on top of the mandatory relief which has already been granted previously. The Leader of CDC, Cllr Lynden Stowe has determined 65 renewal applications for discretionary rate relief for village halls across many parts of the Cotswolds: Commenting on the decision, Cllr Stowe said: “It's very important that the Council continues to provide rate relief to non-profit making assets such as village halls. These premises contribute to the rich tapestry of life in our District by providing a vast range of activities for young and old, and are essential for maintaining thriving communities.” If any person responsible for a village hall has not applied for this discretionary rate relief so far, please call the Council on 01285 623000 as soon as possible. HISTORY OF THE VILLAGE HALL and Willersey Parish Room The first move to build a “Village Room” was made by the Committee of Willersey Football Club on 22nd November 1920. A meeting was held at the New Inn to consider the question of raising funds to provide a Village Room. The Committee elected was
Between November 1920 and January 1921 several whist drives were held and the proceeds added to donations received and transfer of funds from the Coronation Fund. On 7th February 1921, Messrs Payne, Proctor and Kilby reported “That they had interviewed Mr Jordan in respect to the price of land which the Committee wished to purchase for a site to erect the Hall upon.” £35 being the price asked. It was agreed that the Secretary purchase the site for £35. On 28th February 1921 the Committee agreed “That two members be appointed to view the hut at Cambridge with power to buy it if suitable and in good order up to the figure of £70 or thereabout.” Major Roderick and Mr Payne were appointed to attend the sale. On 10th March 1921, Messrs Payne and Kilby reported that they had bought a hut for £150 and fittings for £4.3s.6d. and it was agreed that a Loan of £120 be taken up with the Bank. In the same month the Committee considered this account:-
(Before UK decimalisation in February 1971, there were 12 pence(d) in a shilling(s) and 20 shillings, or 240 pence, in a pound) It was agreed that Harry Byrd be paid an extra £2 and Frank Sadler £1.10.0. for taking down the Hut and further agreed that the Hall be put up the full length if the extra ground can be procured. Messr Jordan later agreed to sell the extra ground for £2.10.0. and Mr Proctor said he would pay for re-building the wall. (The Hut measured 105‘ x 22‘ and the land purchased was 115‘ x 60‘). The Room was opened in May 1921. By a Deed dated 20th July 1923 Mr Walter Jordan conveyed to Willersey Village Hall Committee a piece of land containing 18 perches or thereabouts for Thirty-two Pounds Ten Shillings. By a Deed dated 7th June 1946 Walter Barron conveyed to the Committee further land for the sum of £78.10.0d. (As a unit of area, a square perch is equal to a square with sides of 16½ feet, or 5½ yards). In 1965 the Committee started an appeal to raise funds for a New Building. A Planning Application for the New Building was submitted in December 1966 and in 1967 the Parish Council agreed to accept Trusteeship of the Hall. Work was started on the New Building in January 1968. In May 1968 the Parish Council was informed that the Opening Ceremony of the New Village Hall would take place on 6th May 1968 at 8pm. The Hall, costing £9000, was officially opened on Monday 6th May 1968 by Mr Harold Andrews and it had taken only ten weeks to erect. In addition to Mr Andrews there were present:- Revd. Simpson, Rector and Chairman Cdr R.W. Anstice, Secretary/Treasurer Mr Harry Taylor, Contractor Mr B.E. Ingles, Parish Council Chairman Other Councillors and Villagers “...The Villagers raised £3000. The Department of Education and Science gave a Grant of £5000, and the County Education Authority £1000.” In March 1969 the Reverend Simpson reported the Hall had now been paid for and thanked all residents for giving so generously to the Fund. The Hall is now regulated under the Charity Commissioners, by a Deed dated 4th April 1968. The Parish Council is the Custodian Trustee and the Hall is administered by the Village Hall Committee. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE VILLAGE HALL AS I REMEMBER IT! First of all, whoever put this photo in the mag of the ‘first’? Carnival I can remember in the village, ‘thank you’. But then I only came in 1963! The Village Hall then was an old Nissan hut; Welfare, WI, snooker, all took place there but there would have been other gatherings that, as a newcomer, I wouldn't have known. The village hall was getting to the end of its life and how were we going to replace it? In the end of spring, 1965, bossy newcomer, Penny Ingles, went to see Mrs Arkwright at her home, Willersey House. I can't remember why it was me. A group of us got together. Jane Lampit was certainly one of the others. She knew everyone so she stood by me we were a force to be reckoned with! Mrs Arkwright was very kind when we told her we were trying to raise money for the hall and agreed to open the event. It was to be a carnival starting on the top green (outside Hill Farm) with a judging of the Fancy Dress and procession down the village to the rec where prizes would be given out and various attractions would be happening, including tea. I remember buying a dark green plate from Mrs Frampton, Pat Hemming's grandmother, sold on the jumble sale stall. I think we raised around £200 - which in those days was very good. We held a Christmas Fair in the old hall, I think that following Christmas. We raised more money with raffle tickets (printed by Lowes of Broadway for free), and I had to add to the list of prizes saying ‘and many more’ prizes; which caused trouble because in the end there was only one more prize! I got told off by Mrs Bird and Mrs Smith (Dinner Lady). Mr Kilby gave us a big box of apples for it and others were very generous and more money was raised. I can see a few more people in the photo 1) The child on the truck was Jane Ingles (not Janet) she was elected by the First Class (Miss Beak's ) from the School. David, her Dad was her horse. Clarice Ingles organised and herded the fancy dressed children, her daughter, Hilary, has her back to the camera and holds a lamb. You can't see him but one of the youngest entries was Simon Lampitt (son of Jane & John; and they lived at that time with Jane's parents at Sycamore House). Simon is just months older than our Chris. He went as ‘Bill the Milkman’ and had a tiny truck with 2 bottles in it, wore a cap and had a sweet cigarette in his mouth. Bill Hall was the milkman for years and kept his float in the front barn. The new village hall was built and finished in 1967, when Uncle Bert opened the hall - and I was in bed having just had Peter. You had to stay in bed in those days! P.I. Letter from the builders working on the Village Hall Redevelopment. Meeting on Friday 17th January 2020 at 7.30pm (in the Village Hall!) about our Village Hall Redevelopment. (This document is six pages long.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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