April 2023

April 2021

Welcome to our new website. We are delighted to have been working on this project with Creative Haus, based here in the village.

If you have any feedback, comments or queries, please do let us know by using the Contact form below.

December 2020

At the Board of Trustees meeting on 25th November 2020 the following changes were made to the roles of Trustees:

Annette Kilworth appointed as Chair.

Gary Kent appointed as Treasurer.

Gill Dexter will join the Trustees as representative of WI and Hall users.

Summary of Stewart Village Hall Annual Review Meeting:

On 4th November the Trustees held the Annual Review Meeting for the financial year 1 April 2019 - 31 March 2020. We were delighted to be able to welcome attendees both in the Hall and via Zoom.

The review included an update on the status of changing the charity to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. This has been a long process but at last an end is in sight, thanks to the time and expertise committed to this by Robert Field. Robert has now stepped down as Chair but we are very pleased he remains as a Trustee.

The Hall operated successfully during the year thanks to the support of all the local groups who use the Hall regularly and the people who book it for meetings, parties and celebrations.

Whether for fun or fundraising, the Hall remains at the heart of our village. We would also like to acknowledge and thank the Community Association, the Village Stores and the Parish Council for their support.

Income for the year was £24,477. This included £6000 received in grants which was ring fenced for architects fees; for this we must thank our SODC ward councillors for a £2000 grant and our Parish Council for a £4000 grant. These grants allowed us to start working with architects without eating into our valuable reserve funds.

Expenditure was £20,647. We carried forward £3060 of the ring-fenced grant money and ended the year with a profit of £770.

Looking forward:

 The single biggest issue for the Trustees is the future of the Hall and the redevelopment project, Project Blue Sky. As Covid restrictions are lifted over the coming weeks and months we plan to move this forward and will be working closely with the Parish Council and the Village Stores on this to ensure all stakeholders are fully informed and involved.

May 2020

The future of the Hall:

The Trustees have embarked on the first phase of planning for the future of the Hall, following the survey of opinions carried out in 2017. We were lucky enough to secure financial support for this exercise from both the Parish Council and from our SODC Ward Councillors.

The Trustees sought proposals from three firms of architects, interviewed each of them, and decided to work with Anderson Orr - the team who designed the Village Stores. The first step, which was to commission a full measured and topographical survey of the existing buildings, was carried out in February.

Anderson Orr have since then been working on a feasibility study - in other words, what can (and what cannot) be done to make the facility secure and serviceable for the next fifty years or more.

The process has inevitably been delayed by recent events, however the Trustees hope to be able to present the results of this work in the coming months. We will be working in close partnership with the Parish Council and look forward to being able to present the whole village with a range of options for the Hall very soon.

This is only the very beginning of a long journey, however, and the Trustees will be very keen to hear views from all villagers as each stage of the project as it progresses.

As always, we thank you for all your support, it is very much appreciated. If you have any questions, comments or feedback please contact the Trustees using the contact page on
our website, or leave a note in the Village Hall mailbox at the rear of the hall.

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