Meeting Minutes – The Chairman reported as follows:
The Management Committee welcomes the Trustees and members of the public to this meeting and would like to thank them and others for their support over the year.
The day to day finances of the Wickham Institute have considerably improved, due to increased use. This is, of course, always vulnerable to change and to the economic situation and to the goodwill of the users, but we hope that the situation for the Institute will continue to improve.
The Binsted Fete and Flower Show committee recently voted a donation to the Institute of £500 for this financial year. Some of this is to be put towards the cost involved in preparing and negotiating with the diocese for an extension/modernisation of the current Lease and Trust deed. Stevens and Bolton LLP, Solicitors, have kindly offered to donate some pro bono time to this task and negotiations with the Diocesan Properties representative have started.
During the past year we have had two thefts of lead from the building: the vestibule roof and, later on, the small cover to the meter cupboard. Both of these have now been replaced with non-lead. We have also suffered an underground water leak; all repairs efficiently and promptly carried out by our builders, DW King of Four Marks. We do ask all local residents to be ever vigilant and to report any suspicious people hanging around our often empty public buildings.
The weekly Coffee Shop has been astonishingly well attended again over the last year or two and we hope this momentum will be kept up by the turnover of new young mums who form the backbone of the attendees and that they will continue to introduce new people. It is a very good forum for meeting new people in the village, seeing old friends and generally getting to know what is going on locally, while the under 5s happily play together. The Management Committee are to consider replacing and upgrading some of the rather worn-out play equipment over the next year or so. Donations of suitable toys, in good condition, would be happily received. Donations of your time would also be gratefully received by the rota of ladies who man the kettles and bake the cakes, so if you can spare the odd Wednesday morning, please call Pat Smalley.
We have been very gratified by the continuing popularity of our Spring Supper – sold out well in advance this year as last and much enjoyed by all who attended. Our theme in April was Jubilee influenced, with much bunting and red/white/blue tables Our organiser Jackie Parker, is sadly standing down after 5 years, but we believe we have a replacement lined up. However that is not yet official.
The other big event we have enjoyed was a one-night stand by Oakhanger Players, who put on a truly hilarious version of ‘Jack the Ripper’. There was much talent on display and the hall was packed to the rafters so that, even at the low ticket price charged, both the Players and the Institute funds benefited quite considerably. We hope to have them back with a panto early in 2013 and possibly for two nights.
However, the Committee are aware that events such as these do put a strain on the building and our flooring is beginning to look tired, we need to carry out minor repairs and are considering installing lightproof blinds to improve the ‘blackout’ when slides/films are being shown in the building.
The garden has been more or less completed over the winter and is now a gravelled area which can be used as an outside space. Helen Macdonald has worked extremely hard and we are most grateful to her and also to Dennis and Pam Smith and their nephew who have helped with this work, carried out minor repairs to the drain covers and drainage. Dennis has also kindly offered to install the new external bench in memory of Dick Martin which we have had made. It will be placed outside the main door with a view across the churchyard and the hanger beyond. Gill Martin has seen the bench and was delighted and touched by the gesture. It is hoped people will want to sit and admire our beautiful surroundings.
The Parish Council have granted funding to the Institute to replace the collapsed fencing at the back of the hall which should complete the restoration of this area. Discussions are continuing about the placing of a larger sign at the village crossroads since we are rather invisible to those who do not know about the Wickham Institute. We are also in the process of setting up our own website which should link to the Parish Council website which to improve the visibility of the hall and what it offers. When operational the web address will be listed in this magazine.
I hope that 2012-13 will be as good a year as the last. Thanks to the officers of the Committee for their enormous support and hard work. Andrew and Liz for Finance and Bookings, Caroline our outgoing secretary and Shauna van den Bos, our new Secretary who has already taken up the reins very energetically and worked very hard at the Spring Supper. Thank you also to the seconded members from all the village organisations who also participate in the meetings and help with different events.
