Author: BAACA

Summer Newsletter out now!

~ BAACA

Your printed copy of the summer newsletter should be dropping through your letterbox in the next few days. In case you don’t receive it, or the dog gets there first, you can find an electronic copy here.

In this Summer issue of our newsletter we look forward to our annual fête and the many other things going on in our small, but lively, village community.

This last quarter we’ve held another well attended tea and cakes event, plus a BBQ pub night including a very popular football session for the youngsters.

Gary Woodley, one of the hall trustees, is happy to run the football on a Friday evening during the summer so do pop down. We’re hoping to run further BBQ pub nights too.

July 9th sees the AGM of the Bellingdon & Asheridge Community Association (BAACA). This is your annual opportunity to see in detail what’s been going on at the hall and review the charity’s accounts. All welcome, we don’t bite!

Of course, BAACA couldn’t run without our volunteer trustees. National Volunteers’ Week runs from 1-7th June and we’d like to encourage you to think whether you have a few hours spare each week to help us.

We are very much in need of a secretary (trustee position) and also a
maintenance supervisor to keep an eye on the premises and call in
help when needed.

For just a few hours a week you could make an immeasurable contribution to the community, so don’t be shy. Please get in touch with one of the committee or email us for more information on either position.

You can find out more about what we do here. Or contact us for more information.

Volunteers’ Week 2019

~ BAACA

Volunteers’ Week is a time to say thank you for the fantastic contribution volunteers make.

During the week, hundreds of events and celebrations take place across the country, saying thank you to volunteers and recognising their invaluable and diverse contribution to UK society

So what would we have missed out on without volunteers? Well London 2012, for a start, featured 70,000 voluntary Gamesmakers – the Games simply couldn’t have happened without them.

On a more local level, there are hundreds of thousands of volunteers making the little things happen – volunteer drivers, carers, guide/scout leaders, football coaches, and community building management teams to name but a few. Almost all of us will benefit in some way from someone volunteering their time free of charge.

And it’s great for the volunteers themselves – learning new skills, meeting new friends, it’s a fantastic way to enrich your own life at the same time as helping others, and is an important foundation of our society.  

Inspired? How can you help?

Our village hall provides a crucial locaiton for villagers (especially the elderly and vulnerable) to meet through Ladies’ Club, Hort Soc and various exercise classes during the week. We also run several social events a year including the extremely popular seniors’ Christmas lunch and children’s Christmas party. We fund much of the upkeep of the hall by hiring it out for children’s parties, weddings and other celebrations.

We need someone to commit a couple of hours a week to support our trustees and bookings secretary in ensuring that our facilities are maintained to the standard expected by our hirers. The role consists of checking the hall and grounds each week to make sure, for example, lights are all working, nothing is broken, no hazards to report. If anything does need flagging you would raise it with the committee so expenditure can be approved.

We’re also looking for a secretary (this is a Trustee position). You’d prepare an agenda for our monthly meeting plus take, circulate and keep a record of all minutes at the meeting. There may be a small amount of additional correspondence.

Finally we’d love some help with our online presence (website, facebook, twitter and monthly email) and quarterly newsletter. This would suit a sixth former or student looking for some experience in digital and print marketing and communications. You’d assist with writing and possibly layout and proofreading of the quarterly newsletter and monthly email, plus making sure all digital channels are kept ticking over and assist with targeted campaigns for particular events (for example the annual fête).  

If any of this is of interest please do get in touch: contact@bellingdon.com or speak to any of the committee.

B&A Village Fête 29th June 12:30-5pm

~ BAACA

Please join us for our annual village fête! The organisers are working extremely hard to make sure the event is as spectacular as always, the important dates are: 

  • 19th June: village doorknock (6-9pm, a great way to meet your neighbours!)
  • 20th June: final planning meeting
  • 28th June: setup (pm)
  • 29th June: Fête day – set up from 8am, fête starts at 12:30pm. 
  • We also need help clearing up afterwards as there’s an event on the field the following day . 

What’s on?
As usual we’ll have the Fun Dog Show, Hemel Hempstead Band, Bar (Real Ale and Pimms), BBQ, Tea & Cakes, Tombola, Tug-o-War, Bouncy Castle and Kids’ Area, Kids’ Fancy Dress competition, Books, Beat the Goalie and much more!

This year we’re fortunate to have the local police coming, who will have crime prevention information and be able to identity mark your property. They’ll also be bringing a police car for the younger attendees to have a look at.  

What’s it all for, anyway?
Primarily, its a traditional village fête, an extremely popular summer day out for adults and kids alike. Additionally funds raised from the fête go towards the upkeep and improvement of facilities at the community village hall. In recent years we’ve used these funds to redecorate the hall, refurbish the floor and install a new kitchen. The next big projects are refurbishing the roof and reorganising the car park.  

Sounds great, how can I help? 
All our organisers are volunteers, we need help in many areas before, during and after the fete. Keen bakers can donate cakes, scones, cupcakes etc for the tea & cakes; we always need people to get involved running stalls on the day – coconut shy, beat the goalie, books, tombola, bar and BBQ to name but a few.

We’ll be going door-to-door ten days before the fete, collecting donations of wine/bottles, items suitable for the raffle or tombola and any other good quality items you may wish to donate. We’ll also be delivering a free fete programme to each house and offering the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets. We can also collect items clearly marked “fete” from a safe but obvious place if you’re going to be out. If we miss you we’ll leave a card with details of how to contact us if you have any items to donate.

We’d love some help on the doorknock (19th June 6-9pm ish), setting up the field on Friday 28th (5-8pm approx), on the morning of 29th June from 8am, taking everything down afterwards. Please email fete@bellingdon.com if you can help in any way, or speak to one of the organisers. 

Adverts and sponsorship
We have some space left in our programme for adverts from local businesses, alternatively why not sponsor one of our dog show classes? You’ll need to get in quick though, as we’re filling up fast! Dog show sponsors receive a free advert in the programme, web publicity in advance and will be announced on the day over the PA system. 

Raffle prizes
We are always overwhelmed by the generosity of our villagers in giving us raffle prizes – many of these will be collected during the annual doorknock (this year on June 19th) where our team goes from house to house collecting donations, giving out programmes and selling raffle tickets. We’d love to hear from anyone who might have a raffle prize available.

Stall pitches
If you or someone you know would like a stall at the fête, please let us know as soon as you can. A stall pitch costs £25 and you’ll need to bring your own gazebo. We do have some tables available but please let us know in advance if you require one. To book a pitch please complete our stall booking form and return it to fete@bellingdon.com with your payment to secure your place. 

29th June: Village fête & fun dog show

~ BAACA

It’s full steam ahead for our village fête on 29th June. The fête opens at 12:30 and the full schedule can be found in the programme which will be delivered to every house in Bellingdon & Asheridge (no mean feat
in itself) by our volunteer door-knockers this Wednesday, 19th June from 6-9pm.

We’ll also ask if you have any donations you can kindly offer to our fête. Items gratefully received include: Bottles of wine, raffle and tombola prizes, good condition toys, board games and books.

We will also give you both a free fête programme and an opportunity to buy some raffle tickets, which offer some great prizes, including rugby tickets to Twickenham, a car service from Priest’s of Chesham, £50 Fastbreak Sports voucher, a family pantomime ticket for The Elgiva and much more!

If you are out, we can collect black bags marked “Fête” from your doorstep.
will leave a card so you can call them to come at a more convenient time.

To donate, help out, or find out more about the fête, please contact Helen on fête@bellingdon.com

To join the door-knock as a volunteer or arrange a specific collection time, please phone Liz: 01494 758754.

On the day we’ll have a fun dog show run by OBH Chilterns Pony Club as well as the Hemel Hempstead Band, real ale festival and Pimms bar, BBQ, ice creams, kids’ fancy dress competition, alpacas, bees, tug-of-war, teas & cakes, kids’ corner, face painting, tombola, raffle, bouncy castle and lots more.

See you there!

Pub night, BBQ and football for the kids: Fri 24th May

~ BAACA

We’re bringing out the BBQ for to kick off half term and the bank holiday weekend.

One of our trustees, Gary, has kindly offered to run a fun football session for kids (boys and girls) aged 6-14 starting from 5pm on the field. There will be a general warm up as people arrive followed by skill challenges and coaching sessions finishing with a game. Then, if the weather holds, a rounders match for everyone.

What better way to whet those appetites/run off some energy?

Please bring shin pads if you have them and appropriate footwear. Footballers will need to be ready to play at 5pm. Please email contact@bellingdon.com to let us know if you’re coming so that we have an idea of numbers.

The BBQ will be running from 6.30-8.30pm approx. There will be all the usuals on the bar plus salads and puddings as well, so please do feel free to come to the pub night even if you’ve never been before – everyone is most welcome.

There won’t be a pub night in June as we’re all busy preparing for the fête but we’ll be back again with a community event in July. There’s also the Community Association AGM in July, date to be confirmed.

Recent events round up
Thank you for supporting the recent tea & cakes event and the early April litter pick.