Author: bavhadmin

Hort Soc Annual Show & Village Bake Off 2018

~ bavhadmin

The Hort Soc Annual Show is upon us and will take place in the Village Hall on Sat 8th September from 2.30pm. As always Tea, Coffee, Homemade Cakes and chat will be available.

Why not indulge your competitive streak and enter an exhibit? As well as Fruit, Veg and Flowers, there are classes in cookery, photography and crafts as well as Children’s classes. If you are entering an exhibit set up is from 9.30am to 11am.

All are welcome to come and take a look from, 2.30 onwards, but for a Show Schedule and membership information contact Rachel Watts on 01494 785322.

Forró Fest returns to Bellingdon – August Bank Holiday weekend

~ bavhadmin

Come and experience a little taste of South America at our very own village hall!

As it has for the last two August Bank Holiday weekends, the hall and grounds will be transformed into a Forró dancing spectacular … and if you don’t know what Forró dancing is, why not come along and find out (see image for details)!

We are also very grateful to our regular hirers for their flexibility around the weekend.

17th August – Community Pub Night – CANCELLED

~ bavhadmin

Unfortunately, owing to most of the usual team being unavailable, August pub night is cancelled.

After starting up the pub evenings some three years ago, Don Baker has decided that the time has come to step back and let someone else take responsibility for these popular community events.

So, if you’re wondering what you can do to help, it needs:

  • an overall coordinator
  • volunteers to cook for approx 40 people including a veggie option (need to plan, shop and cook). The more volunteers, the less often you’ll be asked to help
  • commitment from someone (or a group of someones) to clear up afterwards and leave the hall ready for any Saturday morning hirers.

If you can help with any (or all!) of the above, please do get in touch: contact@bellingdon.com

BAVH becomes BACA – AGM report

~ bavhadmin

On Thursday 26th July we held the AGM for the Bellingdon & Asheridge Village Hall and Recreation Ground. The warm weather showed off the hall at its best and we were heartened to see a solid turnout from local residents plus several offers of help.

Hugh Griffiths kindly chaired the meeting in the absence of our chairman, Alf Field, who unfortunately had to work at short notice. The minutes are available to read below but the highlights were:

  • In the last year we’ve achieved a huge amount  – from moving the heater into the storeroom (enabling winter functions to proceed without it sounding like a fighter jet was about to take off) to the complete overhaul of the kitchen and bar area plus the redecoration of the inside of the hall – all of which have made a huge difference to the hall and its users.
  • The hall’s finances are looking healthy – with sufficient reserves to meet any emergency expenditure that might arise. Money has been put aside to fund the much-needed roof repairs; in case the ageing mower gives up; and for future projects to improve the car parking area.
  • BAVH will undergo a name change and will be called Bellingdon & Asheridge Community Association. Don Baker will mastermind this change, which hopes to make the association more inclusive for all. All community groups are encouraged to nominate a representative to act as a liaison point with the BACA. Please let us know who you’re nominating.
  • Jules Eyles has stepped down as Secretary. We thank her for her eight years’ service. Don Baker stepped down as Treasurer after 7 years but will remain on the committee in a fundraising and special projects capacity.
  • Chris Hood would like to step down from the Bookings Secretary role (7 years and counting) but has very kindly agreed to continue in the short term until someone else feels able to take the role on. We are working hard to install a keyless entry system which will remove the need for physical key handovers to private hirers.
  • Nick Richardson has joined the committee as Treasurer. Gary Woodley, Natalie Baker and Sam Williams have also joined the committee as trustees.

Chariman’s Report 2018

Minutes of AGM Thurs 26th July 2018

Year End Financial Statements 31.3.2018

Accounts to 31.3.2018

AGM 2018: Change is coming to BAVH

~ bavhadmin

June 30th saw the culmination of months of hard work on the annual Village Fete and Fun Dog Show. Our fete relies on the generosity of our residents – whether it be donations of unwanted goods at the doorknock or of their time before, during or after the event. We welcome all offers of help, however small.

Proceeds from the fete are used for the maintenance and improvement of facilities at the Bellingdon & Asheridge Village Hall and Recreation Ground. This year, we’ve refurbished the kitchen and bar area, and repainted the inside of the hall. These are exciting times for our village hall as the current trustees seek to give this vital community asset a firm foundation for the future.

BAVH’s AGM – to which all residents are cordially invited – is on 26th July at 8pm. After this date the BAVH Charity will be renamed the BACA – the Bellingdon & Asheridge Community Association.

What is in a name, you ask? The idea behind this change – which will include an update to the charity’s constitution – is to improve communication and reciprocal assistance between the many different community activities that exist in our villages, as well as ensuring the future of our hall.

Most organisations that rely on volunteers are, frankly, struggling. The time pressures of modern life mean that fewer people have time to help out. We hope that, by pooling resources and expertise we can foster a greater sense of community and ease the burden on the few people that dedicate a huge amount of their personal time to making sure that essential community activities are available.

If you’re interested in joining us, please do get in touch. There are so many things we’d love to host at the hall – Christmas fair, film nights and activities for our younger residents – so please do let us know if you have any ideas you’d like to take forward.

Several of our current trustees have decided that the time is right to step down and we (and the wider community) would like to take the opportunity to thank them for their service and wish them well. Jules Eyles has been Secretary for 8 years, Don Baker has been Treasurer for 7 years and Chris Hood has been Bookings Secretary for 7 years.

The three remaining trustees – Alf Field, Hugh Griffiths and Helen Valvona – are delighted that Nick Richardson will be joining us from July as Treasurer. We’re still looking for a Secretary and a Bookings Secretary.

The Bookings Secretary is a pivotal role for the future of the hall, without which we will be unable to take private hires going forward. These account for 50% of the hall’s annual income and without the revenue generated over the last five years we would have been unable to contribute to the recent kitchen renovation project, the upcoming roof repairs and the planned floor refurbishment.

We’ve worked hard to streamline and simplify the bookings process, which Chris had already updated from a paper based system to a Google calendar and electronic booking forms during his tenure. In the future, we’d like to look into keyless entry to the hall and further automation of the bookings process.