Ashbury Village Hall
| Click on a heading to be directed to the relevant text |
| Background |
| Village Hall Committee |
| Village Hall Specifications |
| Regular Hall activities and bookings |
| Booking enquiries and charges |
| Booking Diary |
| Forthcoming events |
| Reports on recent events |
Ashbury Village Hall enjoys a central location in Chapel Lane, close to the War Memorial. It was built in 1864 to accommodate The National School, a charity school for children of the poor. Following construction of a new Ashbury with Compton Beauchamp C of E (Voluntary Aided) Primary School in 1960, the old National School was used as a Village Hall. This arrangement was formalised on the 
death of the Countess of Craven, in 1961, when she bequeathed this building in her will for the use of the people of Ashbury. On inspection the building was found to have fallen into disrepair. Fund raising was a constant problem but loans secured from Oxfordshire Rural Community Council, Department of Education and Social Service eventually enabled the repairs to proceed. In 1975 a new ceiling was installed at a cost of around £400 and the main hall floor was repaired in 1983 at a cost of £1100. Interestingly, these works uncovered the original school cane. Ashbury Parish Council subsequently paid for modernisation of the ladies cloakroom. In 1984 an oversight was discovered with regard to the late Countess of Craven’s will. To everyone’s astonishment it transpired that the Head Master’s house, next to the Village Hall was part of the bequest to Ashbury Village. Since house prices were high at that time it was agreed that the house should be put onto the market. The funds thus raised were invested in a Trust which generates a modest monthly income to help maintain the fabric of the Hall. In 1989 for example, the vestibule was refurbished at a cost of £2,000. Today, the business and upkeep of the Hall are overseen by a local Committee. The Hall is used on a regular basis by a number of Village groups and it also hosts several community functions each year.
The Committee welcomes enquiries from other potential users of the Hall.The specifications, booking details and hire charges are set out below.
| Member | Responsibility | Tel. | |
| Graham Clarke | Chairman | 710305 | gandj.clarke@virgin.net |
| Maggie Simons | Secretary | 710801 | MaggieSimons@bluebottle.com |
| James Ruggiero |
Treasurer |
710780 | jamesruggiero@thinkpositive.co.uk |
| Roger Baker | Building Maintenance | 710358 |
Rogerbaker.riba@btinternet.com
|
| Philip Charters | 710431 | ||
| Lynn & Kevin Clarke | Hall Bookings | 710326 | |
| Peggy Leon | PC Rep | 710273 | peggy@peggyleon.freeserve.co.uk |
| Diana Lovegrove | 710309 | ||
| Simon Edwards | 710950 | saj_edwards@hotmail.com | |
| Jenny Millard | 710352 | Chris.millard@btinternet.com | |
| Anne Morgan | Toddler Group | anneandneilmorgan@hotmail.com | |
| Chris Shutie | 710878 | chrisshutie@hotmail.com | |
| Margaret Smith | 710800 | margaret_b_smith@hotmail.com | |
| Amanda Togher | Toddler Group | 710309 | Thetogclan@btinternet.com |
| Vic Tombs |
View towards the stage - the hall has been decorated for a Valentine's Night Function
View from the stage
The Village Hall comprises a stone vestibule which leads into a large hall measuring 21metres by 5metres that can accommodate 100 people seated theatre style and which has a raised dias at one end. A smaller self-contained meeting room measuring 3metres square, leads off the main hall and can seat up to 10 people. The building is heated and has both kitchen facilities and conveniences on site. The main hall can be flexibly set up for meetings, performances, gardening shows, jumble sales and indoor games as well as private and public functions. A loop system is fitted in both rooms for the hard of hearing and the flooring of the main hall and stage was completely refurbished in September 08. There are 120 chairs, 12 trestle tables and 6 desk-like tables available for use.
Regular Hall Activities/Bookings
|
Monday Daytime |
Toddlers Group |
|
Monday Evening |
Parish Council - every two months Village Hall Committee - every three months |
|
Thursday Evening |
Indoor Bowls Club |
Enquiries about booking the Hall should be directed to Kevin Clarke (710326).
Charges as from 1 August 2010 are as follows:
| Free evenings | £8.00 per evening for those living in Ashbury Parish £12.00 per evening for those living outside the Parish |
| Fund raising/parties | £20.00 (mid-day to midnight) for those living in the Parish £25 for those living outside the Parish |
| Children’s Parties | £17.50 for those living in the Parish £25.00 for those living outside the Parish |
| Private Parties | £30.00 for those living in the Parish £40.00 for those living outside the Parish |
| Hire of Tables | £3 per table per night |
| Hire if Chairs | £3 per 5 chairs per night |
QUIZZICAL PURSUITS EVENING - SATURDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2012
This will take the same format as last year with neighbours from different roads in Ashbury, Kingstone Winslow and Idstone pitting their wits against each other. The cost per person is £3 (teams of 8) which includes a light supper. For more details contact:710800 or 710358.
WHITE CHRISTMAS FILM NIGHT - DECEMBER 2011
This event, which featured the film White Christmas, raised approximately £100 towards the general running of the hall. Thanks go to John Winskill on the organ and all who attended and/or were involved.
MID-SUMMER SUPPER DANCE - 18 JUNE 2011 IN THE VILLAGE HALL
The Ashbury Village Hall Committee staged a Mid-Summer Supper Dance on 18th June. The event was a great success with 70 villagers attending. The band, Double Bill played a selection of “oldies” mostly from the ’60’s and ‘70’s, and the guests enjoyed trying to remember which group had originally recorded the songs! The food, a choice of 4 main courses and 2 desserts, was excellently cooked and served by Judy Clarke, Wendy Shutie, Alex Pollard-Smith and Margaret Smith. Jude Ruggiero and Eliza Lewis provided cooked potatoes and Lynn and Kevin Clarke joined the catering team for washing–up duties. Maggie Simons organised the raffle and James Ruggiero and Graham Clarke manned the bar. The event raised just over £700 for the continuing Hall Restoration Fund. Thanks to all who attended and/or helped to stage the event.
ASHBURY ROYAL WEDDING CELEBRATION STREET PARTY - 29 APRIL 2011
Ashbury celebrated the Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton with a classic street party in Chapel Lane on Friday 29 April 2011. Childrens' tea, fancy dress competition and games, cake, bric a brac and plant stalls, hoop-la, hook-a-duck, BBQ, bar, ice creams, cream teas and more. The weather was kind and great fun was had by all. Nearly 250 people attended the event, about 40 children enjoyed the party tea, and a grand total of £1,178 was made to benefit various good causes in the village. The Village Hall benefitted to the tune of £291 through running the BBQ (see photo opposite), cream teas, ice cream and 50% of hoopla stall (the other 50% going to the church).
ASHBURY QUIZZICAL PURSUITS - 19 MARCH 2011
Eleven teams each comprising eight residents, representing the various roads in Ashbury, Kingstone Winslow and Idstone packed the village hall to capacity to pit their wits against each other in aid of the Village Hall Restoration Fund. After firing up their brain cells at the bar the teams voted for the best quizzical team name before tackling the first two quizzes. A delicious Ploughman's supper was then served whilst the third quiz was shown via a looped powerpoint presentation. Further brain stimulation at the bar and a look at the running scores encouraged a competitive yet friendly atmosphere as the teams set to work on a further four rounds. The InQUIZitors scooped the board with the highest points total, the best quizzical team name and a spot prize for getting the correct answer to a designated question in one of the quizzes. A second spot prize was shared between the No Hopers and the Clever Clogs. Even the team with fewest points received a consolation prize. There were two raffles; the first for a hoard of attractive prizes and the second for a week's holiday in Spain at Graham and Judy Clarke's villa.
The Quiz night was generously sponsored by Bunce (Ashbury) Ltd, Ashbury Electrical Ltd, the Nuffield Health, Fitness and Wellbeing Centre, the Empire Cinema and Sainsbury's. Grateful thanks go to all the willing volunteers whose contributions ensured the success of this event which raised a total of £761.08 for the Hall Restoration Fund.
2010
ASHBURY SUMMER DANCE - 10 SEPTEMBER 2010
A HANDFUL OF HENNA - 16 APRIL 2010
2009
ASHBURY SUMMER BALL - 29 AUGUST 2009
"Abbaration" providing the entertainment Dancing the night away
EASTER AFTERNOON TEA AND SING ALONG - 7 APRIL 2009
VALENTINE'S DANCE - 7 FEBRUARY 2009
Decorated Hall (left) and Dave James entertaining the audience (photos courtesy of Toni Beeseley)
SCARLET RIBBONS - 16 OCTOBER 2009
2008
MURDER MYSTERY AT THE MANOR - 6 SEPTEMBER 2008
