Village Hall

WICKHAM MARKET VILLAGE HALL

For lettings contact:   lettings.wmvillagehall@gmail.com 

For more information visit website: www.wmvillagehall.org.uk

MODERNISATION NEWS

Wickham Market Parish Council and the Village Hall Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) have formed a joint working group to manage the modernisation of the village hall. This page will be updated regularly with news of progress. 

JOINT MODERNISATION STEERING GROUP

The current vision for the village hall is a complete redesign broadly within the current footprint and using the existing structure. Here are the initial outline plans.

FUNDING NEWS 

Pledge Funding Donation

Joint Modernisation Steering Group (JMSG) which comprises of members of the Parish Council and VH CIO Trustees with support from ESC Councillor Sally Noble and ESC Sam Kenward Communities Officer for Wickham Market and Surrounding Villages

JMSG are in the process of preparing documentation for Applying for District CIL Infrastructure Funding to support the Modernisation of Village Hall we also require evidence of other areas of funding support this will strengthen our funding application case which must be submitted by end of May 2024

JMSG are seeking support from residents and friends of the Village Hall for funding pledges any donations will be of considerable help to achieve our goal

Should you wish to donate towards the Modernisation of the Village Hall please contact (details below)

UPDATES

March 2024 

Village Hall Modernisation Steering Group (MSG) has amalgamated and merged to form a Joint Modernisation Steering Group (JMSG) with members from Village Hall CIO Trustees and Parish Council.  In order to give the Group financial powers, it will probably have to become a Committee of the Parish Council whilst retaining the original membership.  Work to achieve the best solution to this tricky problem is proceeding well.

Sam Kenward, our ESC Communities Officer and  Sally Noble, our ESC Councillor for Wickham Market Ward, were extremely helpful in getting the JSMG meetings up and running but may well step back a little as the structure of the group changes.

An architect has been selected on a competitive tendering basis ensuring that they had sound experience and good references for Village Hall Modernisation projects. Subsequently a purchase order was placed by the Parish Council with OWL Architects of Bungay.

The JMSG formulated the Architects outline specification and outline Clients general vision of objectives along with a brief enabling the Architect to provide two or three initial Concept Design Schemes for review on 20^th March 2024.

OWL Architects presented the initial Concept Design Schemes on Tuesday 26^th March 2024.  These schemes are being reviewed, together with their supporting detailed reports, and soon we should be in a position to move forward and obtain costed options from specialised main contractors for the modification works.

District Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Grant Application Form is being prepared.  A meeting with ESC is being arranged to discuss our submission to enable us to have best possible change of receiving a substantial grant towards funding the Village Hall modernisation project.

A considerable amount of work is needed to raise the funds needed to carry out modernisation of the Village Hall as the CIL grant is unlikely to cover the full cost.

It is appreciated that the existing Village Hall must be able to continue to operate until the work starts.  Consequently, some essential work is being planned.  The Village Show 2023 has donated funds towards cost to carry out a specialised Kitchen Deep Clean and hopefully this much needed work will be completed soon.

January 2024 

Hello there Wickham Market, we hope that we bring you good news!

We have been formulating a plan over the last few months, on top of the years of hard work done by so many, on a path for our beloved, Village Hall. We have listened and we are aware that many of you, really love the Village Hall we have. You have felt frustrated at the speed in which things were moving to make better use of the space we have here. We think that we have found a way to remedy these situations!

We would like to confirm a programme of modernisation, meaning that works can be done in stages, as and when the money is available. This means that we may be able to make some changes quite quickly!

The Parish Council and the Village Hall CIO have been meeting, and more recently, representatives from East Suffolk Council, to focus our attention on the future of the Village Hall. There are of course items that will need to be ironed out as with any project, but we believe that with the right guidance and team supporting us, we will be able to deliver on a much better shared community space.

We would always welcome your views on anything to do with our lovely village, so feel free to email us on clerk@wickhammarketpc.com with any comments you may have.

We would like to thank John H and David C, for their hours of work on getting the paperwork ready for us to be able to get this far. Volunteers like these, are hard to come by.

VILLAGE HALL ORGANISATION

Wickham Market Village Hall and Playing Field are owned by Wickham Market Parish Council.  They are managed by a registered charity known as the Wickham Market Village Hall Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).   Its Charity Number is 1172384.

The Trustees of Wickham Market Village Hall CIO are:-

• Steve Flavell
• Clive Edmonds
• Sue French