(from the Isle of Wedmore News Magazine)
Notice of the Annual General Meeting of the Wedmore Village Hall Management Committee – Thursday, 12 December 2019 at 6.00 pm in the Small Hall.
The Village Hall Management Committee continues to make improvements to the Hall and its facilities to make it an even more attractive venue for current and new users. Over 25 user groups now make use of the hall on a regular basis. It continues to be a well-loved community asset.
Over the last year, we have completely refurbished the entrance lobby and installed new lighting making it a much more welcoming and attractive area. A new outside light has also been fitted which greatly enhances the external appearance and allows the Victorian features of the entrance to be truly appreciated.
The front door and metalwork have also been renovated. Two new notice boards have been placed on either side of the front door. Work is currently underway to refurbish much of the main kitchen. New units on the corridor side and on the wall by the cooker have been installed, new doors have been fitted to the units below the bar and the bar surface has been sanded and varnished and looks great.
We have raised the necessary funds, thanks to Wedmore Community Power Cooperative and the Isle of Wedmore News, to replace the energy-hungry halogen lights in the Main Hall with state-of-the-art LEDs which can be controlled to set different moods and lighting levels in the Main Hall allowing a more subtle effect when needed such as for parties or for yoga classes.
Plans are well underway to redecorate the Main Hall, no mean task as scaffolding will be required, and to refurbish and modernise the Snug. Unfortunately, these plans have had to be put on hold as an investigation as to why damp was getting into the ceiling of the Main Hall proved that the leadwork of the ‘bell tower’ had slipped and had badly deteriorated such that it needs to be fixed before anything else can progress.
The weathervane at the apex of the ‘bell tower’ had also come adrift and 14 November 2019 has had to be removed for the moment before falling and causing damage! This work will severely dent any surplus funds we may have held. Meanwhile, we continue to need to be mindful of regular repair work – broken gutters, slipped tiles, loose cement flashings, etc.
The raked seating continues to be popular with users and audiences alike, the solar panels provide a useful contribution to the hall’s energy bill and the recently sanded Main Hall floor, whilst getting a good battering, does seem to be surviving! Manor Lane is due to be resurfaced and the hall is contributing towards this as access to the car park necessitates the use of the lane. We are very grateful to our sponsors and users for the continued success of the hall.
I hope that as many of our user group representatives will attend the AGM on Thursday, 12 December along with any residents of Wedmore and let us know your needs and wishes for the hall.
Simon C Tomes, Chairman Wedmore Village Hall Management Committee