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Piddington Village Hall
News
Ken’s plaque - April 2024
Here are a few photos from the great plaque-unveiling at the pop-up pub on Friday 26 April. David Cook made the beautiful plaque (in West Ham colours) to remember Ken Howard, who did such a lot to make the village hall the modern and well-equipped community hub it is now.
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Update - March 2023
The clocks have gone forward and we hope that Spring has finally sprung - although the rain suggests otherwise!! It’s a time to start those gardening jobs, and the chance of a ‘Sundowner’ when the weather permits!!
The Tea Party/Dance was a great success but was unfortunately followed by a Covid strain named ‘Kraken’ (no, me neither)! People caught this strain who didn’t attend the dance, which possibly means it was in the village prior to the event. The village hall committee hope that all those who were ill are now fully recovered and are ‘Kraken’ on with life!
Sadly, a number of events were cancelled for obvious reasons, but we are back to normal for April. See the Events list here.
Oxford Art Weeks: This year villager Karen Joy has put together a very interesting group of artists who will be exhibiting in our village hall on the following dates: MAY 13th-14th; 18th 19th, 20th; & 21st from 11am-5pm. They are also going to be open at the pop-up pub on Friday 19th May (7pm – 9pm). It’s going to be a really exciting exhibition, with 3 painters, 1 photographer, 1 printer, 1 jeweller ,1 sculptor, and two potters. There will also be tea/coffee and homemade cake during the day supplied and served by the wonderful church ladies. PLEASE COME AND SAY HELLO
Maintenance and Refurbishment Programme: The solar panel survey has been carried out by the contractor on the village hall and fortunately no problems were found regarding the installation. A commencement date for the project is now awaited. However, the VH committee will have to find an additional £5000 on top of the funding already negotiated due to price increases in the cost of equipment since the original quote was made. Hopefully this may be available from other funders.
Fee Increases: After a number of years of no increase in fees PVHMC have decided to increase hall hire charges. The increase will be an additional £1 an hour, from 1st May 2023. Our hall is possibly one of the best equipped and maintained halls within Oxfordshire, our rates are lower or compatible with any local hall who do not have the facilities that are in our hall. It was not an easy decision to make but running costs have increased over the past few years.
New Members: The village hall committee are looking for new members. We are currently a team of five but could really use some additional members to help in running functions and looking after the hall in general. Are you able to give some time and energy for this cause? You can devote what time you can spare. Please contact us to discuss. The hall is the village hub and the committee have worked very hard over the last few years to modernise it. Volunteers are essential for its continued running and success.
And finally… Polling will take place on the 4th May in the village hall for the election of local councillors. To vote you must have PHOTO ID with you, it has to be an original document no photocopies. If you have no such document, you can contact Cherwell District Council who can issue a proof of identity document.
The Tea Party/Dance was a great success but was unfortunately followed by a Covid strain named ‘Kraken’ (no, me neither)! People caught this strain who didn’t attend the dance, which possibly means it was in the village prior to the event. The village hall committee hope that all those who were ill are now fully recovered and are ‘Kraken’ on with life!
Sadly, a number of events were cancelled for obvious reasons, but we are back to normal for April. See the Events list here.
Oxford Art Weeks: This year villager Karen Joy has put together a very interesting group of artists who will be exhibiting in our village hall on the following dates: MAY 13th-14th; 18th 19th, 20th; & 21st from 11am-5pm. They are also going to be open at the pop-up pub on Friday 19th May (7pm – 9pm). It’s going to be a really exciting exhibition, with 3 painters, 1 photographer, 1 printer, 1 jeweller ,1 sculptor, and two potters. There will also be tea/coffee and homemade cake during the day supplied and served by the wonderful church ladies. PLEASE COME AND SAY HELLO
Maintenance and Refurbishment Programme: The solar panel survey has been carried out by the contractor on the village hall and fortunately no problems were found regarding the installation. A commencement date for the project is now awaited. However, the VH committee will have to find an additional £5000 on top of the funding already negotiated due to price increases in the cost of equipment since the original quote was made. Hopefully this may be available from other funders.
Fee Increases: After a number of years of no increase in fees PVHMC have decided to increase hall hire charges. The increase will be an additional £1 an hour, from 1st May 2023. Our hall is possibly one of the best equipped and maintained halls within Oxfordshire, our rates are lower or compatible with any local hall who do not have the facilities that are in our hall. It was not an easy decision to make but running costs have increased over the past few years.
New Members: The village hall committee are looking for new members. We are currently a team of five but could really use some additional members to help in running functions and looking after the hall in general. Are you able to give some time and energy for this cause? You can devote what time you can spare. Please contact us to discuss. The hall is the village hub and the committee have worked very hard over the last few years to modernise it. Volunteers are essential for its continued running and success.
And finally… Polling will take place on the 4th May in the village hall for the election of local councillors. To vote you must have PHOTO ID with you, it has to be an original document no photocopies. If you have no such document, you can contact Cherwell District Council who can issue a proof of identity document.
Update - February 2023
New fire doors have now been installed, adding to the appearance and ambiance of the hall. The committee are also committed to fitting solar panels to the hall with suitable storage facilities. In the event of an emergency, the hall is one of Oxfordshire County Council's designated Community Hubs. Various quotes were obtained for supply of solar panels with storage batteries, as a result of which a detailed and extensive application for funding was made to Valencia Communities Fund.
On Tuesday 10th January the committee were informed that their application for £38,928 had been approved. The installation procedure will now take place after all the paperwork is completed. Additional funds from village hall finances will have to be used due to increased costs of equipment since the funding application was made, but we are grateful that the installer has kept labour costs the same. The original idea and all the funding hard work involved Mario, Mike and Chris. Congratulations to you all!
Hall Security: 3 floodlights will be fitted to the hall covering the grassed area which at present is unlit. This is for the hall’s security, plus the lights can be activated to be on should there be an outside event that requires it. The light covering the front of the car park, which is defective, will be replaced.
The Village Hall Trustees welcome all the new arrivals to our village. Hopefully you will find time to join in various village functions, clubs or classes held in the hall during the year and meet other villagers.
On Tuesday 10th January the committee were informed that their application for £38,928 had been approved. The installation procedure will now take place after all the paperwork is completed. Additional funds from village hall finances will have to be used due to increased costs of equipment since the funding application was made, but we are grateful that the installer has kept labour costs the same. The original idea and all the funding hard work involved Mario, Mike and Chris. Congratulations to you all!
Hall Security: 3 floodlights will be fitted to the hall covering the grassed area which at present is unlit. This is for the hall’s security, plus the lights can be activated to be on should there be an outside event that requires it. The light covering the front of the car park, which is defective, will be replaced.
The Village Hall Trustees welcome all the new arrivals to our village. Hopefully you will find time to join in various village functions, clubs or classes held in the hall during the year and meet other villagers.
Village hall hire
Our village hall is possibly one of the best equipped halls for all kinds of functions and business hire. We can provide presentation equipment and surround sound, and air-sourced heating and cooling that can be pre-set or controlled on the day. All new toilets. Fully equipped kitchen. Wi-Fi in the hall. LED lighting that can be dimmed. New children’s play area. Further information can be found here.
Vacancies
There are vacancies on the committee to help run the hall which is the main social venue of our village. To find out what is involved please contact Chris on 07517 333 048 or email [email protected].
Piddington 200 Club
The proceeds of the 200 Club help maintain our village hall and cover various running expenses. After many years, the club stopped in 2020, at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, but started again in January 2022.
The village hall is a vital part of our community and we hope it will continue to be. So please do subscribe to the 200 Club today and help keep this village asset going.
Each number costs £12 per year (and you can have as many as you wish). This covers 12 monthly draws at Pop-Up Pub nights. As an added incentive, if you attend the Pop-Up Pub and you win, you get a free drink of your choice from the bar!!
For more information and details of payment methods, please go to the 200 Club page.
The village hall is a vital part of our community and we hope it will continue to be. So please do subscribe to the 200 Club today and help keep this village asset going.
Each number costs £12 per year (and you can have as many as you wish). This covers 12 monthly draws at Pop-Up Pub nights. As an added incentive, if you attend the Pop-Up Pub and you win, you get a free drink of your choice from the bar!!
For more information and details of payment methods, please go to the 200 Club page.
Pop-Up Pub is back!
On Friday 24th September 2021, Piddington's Pop-Up Pub in the village hall opened its doors for the first time in almost two years - and showed off the new bar seating. What a fantastic night - it seemed as if the whole village turned up, including lots of newbies. It was great to see so many of you enjoying yourselves!
The village hall committee would like to thank all those villagers who attended, making it such a happy and successful event. This makes organising it all worth while.
Thank you all once more.
VH TRUSTEES
The village hall committee would like to thank all those villagers who attended, making it such a happy and successful event. This makes organising it all worth while.
Thank you all once more.
VH TRUSTEES
Toilets
Work started on the refurbishment if the toilets in October 2020 and was completed in December. The gents has been totally rearranged and now provides 2 urinals. The drinks cupboard, which was in the gents, has been removed and a new cupboard, which is accessible from the main hall, has been built.
New vinyl floors have been laid in all 3 toilets and the sanitary ware had been replaced in both the ladies and gents. Where it was possible the pipework is now hidden. All 3 toilets have new heaters and new mirrors. The mirrors in the ladies can be illuminated. The lights now automatically switch on when someone enters.
The refurbishment of the toilets was made possible by grants from the Cherwell Infrastructure Capital Grants Scheme, the FCC Communities Foundation Ltd., and Piddington Pantry.
The main contractor was, Bicester based, Leon Construction Ltd who completed the work to budget and on time.
The Piddersnake is in hibernation
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75 days, 121 stones, 8m 18cm long, an immeasurable achievement. Who’d ever have thought that from 4 little rocks, such a beautiful creature could grow! He became quite a village attraction and even managed to write a poem about his change of address (see below).
In August — for preservation purposes — the Piddersnake moved into temporary hibernation. He would love to live on as a permanent reminder of our village’s coronavirus brilliance and is in search of a new home. All brainwaves welcome! You can see photos of him in the website gallery, along with other photos of other activities from this time, in a section called 'Piddington in lockdown': http://www.piddingtonvillageoxfordshire.org.uk/newer-photos.html. 🚨🏡**CHANGE OF ADDRESS** 🏡🚨 |
The Piddersnake on 26 July 2020, shortly before hibernation. Photo: Kirsty Walker
The Piddersnake in hibernation. Photo: Kirsty Walker
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Improvements
Storeroom
The new storeroom was completed during May 2019. It is now being used to house tables, chairs, indoor bowls equipment, the table tennis table etc.
We were fortunate to obtain funding towards the cost from Cherwell D C and the Viridor Credits Environmental Company.
The new storeroom was completed during May 2019. It is now being used to house tables, chairs, indoor bowls equipment, the table tennis table etc.
We were fortunate to obtain funding towards the cost from Cherwell D C and the Viridor Credits Environmental Company.
New kitchen completed October 2018
The Village Hall Management Committee are please to report that work on the refurbishment of the kitchen and bar has been completed. This was achieved with the support of a grant for £10,000 from the WREN Landfill Communities Fund. The Committee thank WREN for all their help and advice. A donation of £3000 was also made by The Pantry.
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Friends of the Village Hall
The PVHMC have started to draw up a contact list of people whom we can contact when we need a little extra help, for example when putting on an event. The idea is that we contact the ‘Friends’ to explain what help is needed, ask who is available and when, then allot specific tasks based on the replies. You need only offer as much time as you can spare – every little helps!
If you are happy to be on the ‘Friends of the Village Hall’ List, please email [email protected].
If you are happy to be on the ‘Friends of the Village Hall’ List, please email [email protected].
Defibrillator outside Village Hall - useful information
Instructions on how the defibrillator works can be found here.
Easyfundraising - an easy way to raise funds for Piddington Village Hall
What is it?
The PVHMC are always trying to think of ways to raise funds not only to maintain the village hall but also to pay for the forthcoming refurbishment and planned additional facilities, such as a new kitchen, more storage space, a more energy-efficient and sustainable heating and lighting system, etc. We will of course continue to put on events that offer something of interest while at the same time generating some much needed income, but it’s difficult to keep asking members of our small community to part with their hard-earned cash.
We think we’ve found a solution. Wouldn’t it be great if you could donate some money to your village hall every time you shop online with well-known companies such as John Lewis, Amazon, Argos, ebay, etc? Or search the web? At no extra cost to yourself and with only one extra click? ‘easyfundraising’ is a free and simple way for UK schools, charities, sports clubs, community groups and other good causes to raise money from everyday online shopping. Supporters register to help a good cause and whenever they shop through the site with any of the 2,700 retailers listed on easyfundraising.org.uk, the retailer gives a small percentage of what’s been spent back to the good cause to say thank you for shopping with them. We have registered Piddington Village Hall on easyfundraising as ‘PIDDINGTON OXON VILLAGE HALL’, and we are asking you to support us by going through the easyfundraising website every time you shop. Read more about the scheme here. |
How much have we raised so far?To see the funds raised for Piddington Village Hall so far, go to the easyfundraising website.
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