Ringmer Village Hall

Extension Appeal Background

Community Improvements at the Heart of the Village.

Ringmer Village Hall – Extension Appeal, revised project

Following the Parish consultation in May when it became clear that the proposed cost – over £500K was beyond reach, we have had a new plan produced & costed..

The revised scheme includes the following:

• An internal toilet for the disabled and a chair lift between the Jack Hart hall and the Small hall to make the whole complex accessible.
• The library will move into the larger space of the existing St Mary’s room & then be further extended in a second phase of building.
• A new and much larger meeting room able to take groups of 30+ will be built on the front, & be classed as an annexe.
• Storage of equipment has been a problem for some years so the present library will be changed to a storeroom where much of the equipment currently in the main hall e.g. the big chair racks & all the equipment belonging to individual groups may be stored & so release valuable space.
• It is intended to incorporate as many ‘green features’ e.g. energy saving and energy production as is practical in the extension scheme.
• A new Parish Office to provide easier access to enable Councillors to meet parishioners in a better environment will be in the later phase.

The new costs are about £320,000. This includes a contingency sum but not professional costs. One essential piece of work is to move the main electricity cable to the edge of our land – this is costed at £12,500.

Alan West, Chairman & Pam Bowmaker Chair of Fundraising

23rd October 2011

Ringmer Village Hall - Original Project

A few words just in case you are not already aware of why the Trustees of the Hall are trying to raise £400,000. The plans are ambitious but the Trustees do believe that they are necessary and achievable with the support of the whole community.

The origins of the Hall have been traced back to the 1690's; the present Hall was built in 1890. The first extension, a kitchen and indoor toilets were added in the 1950's and in 1974 the ‘Jack Hart hall and adjoining rooms' were opened.

Since the last extension 36 years ago, the village has grown, the usage of the Hall has increased and with it the need to think once again how the Village Hall can best support the community. Storage of equipment has been a problem for some years. When the Trustees of the Hall asked the ‘users' what they thought would improve the facilities, a resounding vote was in favour of more storage. After much thinking and debate it was clear to the Trustees that there was no quick and easy solution to this problem. A radical rethink of how the amenities are used has resulted in an extension design by architects Turner & Hoskins.

To meet the storage needs and other demands, the present library will be converted to a storeroom where much of the equipment currently in the main hall e.g. the big chair racks can be stored. A new library will be created, larger in size to the present, and will provide an enhanced service that utilises the latest information technology.

Facilities for the disabled will be improved by the addition of a new toilet and chair lift between the two halls.

It is also planned that the St Mary's meeting room will be modified to provide a better meeting space for groups of up to 30 and to accommodate a new Parish Office. Moving the Parish Office will provide much better access for those who have difficulties with steps and will enable Councillors to meet residents and staff in an improved environment. Having moved the Parish Office, the released space will be used for storage. The storeroom off the Small hall will be cleaned, decorated and become another meeting room with its own access from the new entrance.

The architects are investigating the options for ‘greening' the operation of the Hall e.g. solar energy for heating water and generating electricity. They are also looking at the potential for installing ‘green roofs' to the new and existing flat roofs. These roof types have great potential for moderating water run off and because the vegetation is adapted to the extreme roof top environment (e.g. high winds, hot sun, drought, and winter cold) they require little in the way of maintenance and resource input.

The Trustees have a target date for the commencement of the work of late 2011 early 2012. Fundraising has already produced £40,000 for the project with further events and activities being planned over the next two years.

If you have any ideas or are willing to help progress this project, please contact any of the Trustees listed below. They will welcome your support.

Alan West

Chairman Village Hall Trustees

RW2/AW 11/07/2009

Registered Charity No 207885

RVHMC Chairman, Alan West 01273 812585 RVHMC Treasurer Martin Whitlock 01273 812060

Vice Chairman Pat Escot 01273 812501