Following the financial update at the end of 2006, fundraising work continued at pace at the start of 2007, with the need to pass a funding threshold to secure certain payments.
There was still a chance to do a last upgrade to the current Reading Room during spring 2007, improving access for those with limited mobility ahead of the last Village Fete to utilise the facilities there.
The Village Fete was held towards the end of June, and reported upon in the September Village Magazine
Shortly afterwards the Reading Room was decommissioned, with thoughts going back to all of the events it had hosted over 95 years. The update in the September 2007 Village Magazine highlighted how much had happened in two or three months over the summer.
Village Hall News
The months since the last Newsletter have been very eventful for the Village Hall Committee.
In June we were in the position where we had been promised funding of £310,000, and the lowest tender for the new Village Hall was for £400,000.
The funding position was very delicate because all the promises were conditional upon us raising all the money we needed for the project to go ahead. Some of them were also time limited, so, if we could not give potential funders a definite start date by July, then funding promises would be withdrawn. It was all or bust so we decided on a two-pronged approach. Firstly we went back to the contractor and renegotiated the contract, taking out a number of elements that we could either do ourselves with volunteer labour, or which we could postpone until later in the project; things like internal decoration, landscaping the grounds and fitting out the kitchen. That reduced the cost to £340,000.
Then we went around the two villages asking for people who would be prepared Io make pledges of either donations or interest free loans to make up our funding shortfall. The response was magnificent and by July we had enough donations and pledges so that we could prove to the funders that we could raise the £340,000 we now needed. We accepted the tender from Bilton Design and Build and were also able to give the funders a proposed contract start date in August 2007!
So on Saturday 28th July we held a small ceremony when Jane Bagshaw, the longest serving Reading Room Trustee, formally locked the Reading Room doors for the last time, and we presented her with one of the keys to the Reading Room to keep as a memento. We got some very good coverage in the local papers, which you may have seen. Almost immediately afterwards a group of willing volunteers set to work Io dismantle the Reading Room. Over that and subsequent weekends they have dismantled much of the interior, lifted the timber floors and stripped the tiles from the roof. The tiles have been set aside for reuse in the new Village Hall, as have the paving slabs from the path. The floorboards, joists and internal and external doors will be sold for reclamation, and the proceeds will help pay for the new Hall. We also hope to reclaim as many of the bricks as we can.
As I write this, 11″‘ August, the last clearing up is being done prior to Bilton Design and Build starting on site on Monday 31st August.
Heartfelt thanks to all those who came forward with donations and pledges of loans to make this all possible and also to the enthusiastic volunteers, too many to name, who have worked so hard to reclaim as many materials from the Reading Room as possible for sale or re-use. But this is not the end of the story, it is not even the beginning of the end, although it might be the end of the beginning. (Apologies Io Winston Churchill!) The building work is scheduled to last about 7 months. During this time we will be seeking new grant funders (we have already started) to help us raise the money to fund those elements of the work that we have had to postpone from the main contract. Depending upon how successful we are, we shall be seeking more volunteers to help with the fitting out and finishing of the new Hall, so if you have not yet been involved there will be plenty more opportunity! More immediately, we will need all the help that we can to clean and salvage as many of the old bricks as possible once the Reading Room is demolished. Your Village Hall needs you! (Apologies to General Kitchener!)
Please, keep on fund raising in any way you can The Reading Room may be closed as a venue but until the Village Hail is ready we hope that village activities will be able to be held in the Church or in private homes. Incidentally if anyone would like to buy second-hand bricks, Rosemary roof tiles, floor joists and planks or a white corner wash basin and electric water heater, please contact Derek Holland.
Howard Parvin
The following three Village Magazines had progress reports on the new building. These reports are transcribed below – see here for a gallery illustrating this period.
Village Hall News (Octobers 2007 Newsletter)
As you will probably have seen for yourselves work on the new Village Hall is progressing rapidly.
As predicted in the last Newsletter the contractors. Bilton Design and Build, started on site on 13th August. The Reading Room disappeared in a few days and trenches for the foundations of the Village Hall soon appeared As I write the footings are in and the walls stand to blue brick damp course. By the time you get to read this the concrete suspended floor should be in place and the external brick walls well on the way.
On the funding side I am pleased to report that we have now signed agreements with all the major funders and Rugby Borough Council has confirmed a new grant for £10,000 towards fitting out the interior of the Hall. We have submitted applications to a number of other potential funders to a total value of £65,000. We may not get all of those so we are following up other leads. We have so far raised several hundred pounds from the sale of materials salvaged from the Reading Room. There is still an enormous pile on the car park of bricks to be cleaned and stacked ready for sale so anyone who can spare a little time to work on those please just turn up and have a go.
Several people have asked what has happened to the “First Aid Post” sign and foundation stones from the Reading Room. We have salvaged all of those and, together with the sign that used to stand at the gate of the old school, we will build them into the interior of the new Hall as a “History Corner”.
A date for your diaries, the Bonfire Party will be on Saturday 3rd November on the field opposite the church. We hope to announce other fundraising events shortly so watch this space for further developments. Last but far from least if anyone has any ideas of their own for fund raising or is able to help in any way with the new Hall please contact any member of the Village Hall Committee.
Howard Parvin
Village Hall News (November 2007 Newsletter)
Construction work is still going well and we are on schedule to be weather tight by Christmas. At the time of writing the walls are up to roof height and the builders are waiting the delivery of the first roof trusses. Particular thanks to Derek Holland who is shouldering the considerable burden of liaising with the builders, and Mark Martin who has an eagle eye for errors in the brickwork!
Good news on the funding front as well. Rugby Borough Council have come up trumps again, this time approving a Parish Council application for capital funding of £50,000 to be spent on the Village Hall. This means we are only about £20,000 short of the final total we need and we still have other grant applications in the pipeline.
There is still a big pile of bricks on the car park waiting to be cleaned and stacked for resale. Several members of the community are doggedly working their way through them but they need more help! There are working parties there most weekend mornings and any time that anyone can spare will be much appreciated.
Howard Parvin
Village Hall News (December 2007 Newsletter)
Building work is proceeding apace. At the time of writing the roof is taking shape and we are still on schedule to be weather tight by Christmas.
The Bonfire this year was bigger than ever and we had three magnificent guys sitting on top. There was a good crowd to watch them go up in smoke and to enjoy the fireworks. Many thanks to Ian Simpson, Matt Douglass and friends who organised the display. Hot soup was very popular and hot dogs sold like hot cakes (dogs?); Gill Martin, Kaye Davenport and Liz Parvin were so busy they had no time to watch the fireworks. Particular thanks to Mark Martin and his assistants who spent most of Saturday collecting wood and building the bonfire, and of course to Betty and Tony Faizey for letting us use their field. We raised more than £150 for the Village Hall Fund and, just as important, everyone had a very enjoyable evening.
The stacks of cleaned bricks in the car park are growing, which is just s well as we have just had an order for 2,000 of them! However we still need volunteers to help sort and clean more. Any time you can spare, weekends or weekdays, would be appreciated. If you haven’t done it before please contact Derek Holland first and he will how you the ropes.
Howard Parvin
