BVH AGM Report: 30 April 2024
Twelve months ago we spent a lot of time reviewing the Trust’s founding document and ensuring all policies and management of the hall were correct. This was done so that we could apply for support grants; little did we know how valuable this would be for dealing with a banking crisis.
In October Barclays bank closed all our accounts without notice, we were not alone many village halls and charities across the country had the same problem – Banks don’t like charity accounts: too risky, too expensive to operate!
Finding a new bank was extraordinarily difficult, it took 4 months of form filling and interviews to open an account with a new bank. Four months with cheques we couldn’t use, committee members paying bills with their own money and a box of cash with takings from the bar. Michelle as treasurer did a fantastic job keeping track of everything so that we could keep the hall open. This has been especially important since the (temporary?) closure of the Barrasford Arms, which resulted in more social events requiring the bar. This is in addition to the normally group and regular activities: Scouts, Beavers, Pottery restoration, Carpet bowls, coffee mornings, quiz nights, bingo; etc. We estimate that the hall currently has 4-500 user visits per month, so it is well used.
Despite the banking problems we were able to continue improving hall facilities: a handrail on the roadside steps, installation of GigaBit broadband and WiFi (B4RN), a smart TV in the supper-room, creation of a Barrasford Village Hall website with on-line booking requests, ‘5*’ food hygiene rating, LED lighting upgrade (were possible), updated IR heating in the supper room. We also won a lottery grant which allowed us to join Northumberland Community Energy, who will be installing a large solar generation and battery system in the hall. These improvements will continue next year with plans to: update the heating in the main hall, repair and insulate the supper room external walls, and renew the boundary fence.
Richard Haycock (BVH Chair)