MINUTES OF WESTBURY-ON-TRYM VILLAGE HALL

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

FRIDAY 24TH OCTOBER 2008
VILLAGE HALL EASTFIELD ROAD
WESTBURY-ON-TRYM BRISTOL BS9 4AG

1 Apologies Liz and Ron Cockitt, Jane Voke and Karen White

2 Welcome by Chairman

Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to the Village Hall AGM
for 2008. You should have a copy of the Minutes of last year‟s meeting, the
Accounts for the year 2007/08 and the Agenda for this year‟s meeting.

3 Minutes of the 2007 AGM

The Minutes were approved. Proposed by Jill Maguire and seconded by Ann
Trathen.

4 Matters Arising – none

5 Committee Reports

5.1 Treasurer – Sarah Waldron

The Statement of Financial activities for the year to 30th June 2008 (see separate
sheet).

Accounts accepted – Proposed by Hilary Long and seconded by Mike Potter.

There were no questions.

5.2 Bookings Secretaries

Weekend Bookings 2007/08 – Lizzy Betts

Another very successful year that shows just how much our Village Hall is
valued as one of the favourite places to celebrate and mix socially. In fact, so
many local residents want to use it, that it has often been difficult to
accommodate all those wishing to book – especially if they are last minute ones.

Our regular social events and Society bookings also ensure that the hall is very
much a focal point. We will now look forward to many joint ventures in the
coming year as the Village Hall Events Committee and the Westbury Society
have several events planned – have you got your programme yet?

Birthdays – The children‟s ones are now becoming very popular for Friday or
Saturday afternoons and the word is spreading. The village hall is just the right
location to celebrate the passing years with friends and families, culminating in
Barn Dances or Ceilidhs to get everyone going.
 Wedding anniversaries go right across the board; we voluntary helpers get to go
to an amazing range of delightful occasions. On a slightly different anniversary,
we had the 90th celebration of Finnish Independence, complete with dancing,
music and even the Ambassador from the Finnish Embassy!

Weddings have been both grand and simple – all such happy events and this
year we have had a real increase in these, perhaps due to the fact that we are
now on the web and a lot of enquiries stem from a simple local search as well as
those who just book after they themselves have been a guest here and just loved
the building and the atmosphere.

As there are now so many weddings – 14 are already booked for 2009 – we have
three Wedding Co-ordinators who liaise with the bride and groom in the month
or so before the great event and help to make everything run smoothly on the
day. Our thanks to all the volunteers both for the afternoon receptions and of
course the evenings, making the day memorable for those concerned!
The renovated bride‟s room is now up and running and very beautiful. Just right
to compliment the bride and to give her somewhere to retouch and adjust as well
as rest during the hectic day!

Dance nights continue to be popular and we have been so grateful for Barbara
Venn‟s input (and her group of helpers) as this is one of the events we really
want to keep going for the community. Unfortunately, Barbara has now
resigned but we are very grateful to Jill Maguire for agreeing to take this on with
the help of others, particularly Alison Laity.

We must also thank the Westbury singers who support us at least twice a year
and give us all so much enjoyment… musical events are still such a strong part
of our success, this year once again, we had the Young Musicians concert, The
Bagel Fish Orchestra and another very popular Wind Orchestra concert to really
swell the numbers in the hall.

We must be doing something right, judging from the letters and cards of thanks
that keep coming in. It is great to know that the time we give is really
appreciated, especially on those special occasions to make them a memorable
day for all concerned – that is what we hope to achieve and through this once
again to get people to feel that this is a wonderful building worthy of supporting
and using fully.

Other regular clubs and societies use the hall throughout the week as well as at
weekends for their socials and regular annual events. The church is welcomed
for their Harvest festival and Christmas fair, Fielder and TG are very much at
the heart of the Hall and our very own Flower Show – what can I add to their
success which just keeps on growing!!

So, another very successful year and I am sure that it is set to continue well into
the future if my bookings are anything to go by! Westbury Village Hall is a
very beautiful venue and we are indeed lucky that this was restored and kept for
the community, when we could very well have lost it back in the early 70‟s.
Remember those who battled to keep it and spent so much time and energy
restoring it! We are forever in their debt, as we are now for all those who
continue the task of maintaining and keeping this wonderful building looking
great, despite all the new regulations that must be accommodated! Thank you.
Westbury-on-Trym Village Hall AGM Minutes 2008 2
 Weekday Bookings 2007/08 - Walter Finley

The Treasurer‟s report shows the increase in hirings during the last financial
year. This rising demand is, of course, most welcome, even when it means that
our team has to book early when they want to carry out maintenance work in the
Hall.

It was found to be impossible to fit the new kitchen without having to keep out
some of our regular users, mainly the badminton players, for a few days, and we
are grateful for their cooperation.

We continue to host more children‟s parties and business meetings. The end of
the Townswomen‟s Guild badminton on Friday afternoons had made it possible
for others to prepare the hall for events on Friday evenings and Saturdays.

5.3 Bar Report 2007/08 - Henry Deval

We have had a new team running the bar this year and introduced new
procedures. Despite a couple of hiccoughs things have gone well and we have
run training sessions for Bar Leaders.

We are grateful for the sterling work put in by Patrick Carroll in running the bar
roster. Patrick resigned and Lucy Penn who has been doing a grand job now
undertakes the work. We are always looking for volunteers to help with the bar
so please see me afterwards.

Finally, I would like to express my grateful thanks to Cate Withers the former
bar Secretary who is moving out of the area. Cate has given a lot of time to the
organising of the bar and we wish her well.

5.4 Report Building and Maintenance for 2007/08 - Bob Cornish

The last twelve months have been both very busy and very expensive for your
Committee, primarily as the Committee endeavours to exercise its Duty of Care
in respect of what is this Medium (sized) Place of Public Assembly and by
extension, comply with ever new and draconian regulations and legislation. The
visual retention of Victorian splendour with the necessity of compliance with the
dreaded Health and Safety of modern times do not make for comfortable
bedfellows. In consequence, there are undoubtedly sights and sounds that have,
through bureaucratic expedience though not endearing themselves to all,
justified their place alongside the character and charm of a previous and more
genteel age - and which your Committee will continue to undertake at any time
should we believe this to be the correct course to pursue.

There is much to report;-

1) In January, the kitchen was substantially refitted and upgraded inside outside
and underfloor.

Westbury-on-Trym Village Hall AGM Minutes 2008 3

 2) Following an inspection by Avon Fire and Rescue together with a
comprehensive Risk Assessment Report carried out in April, a new Fire Alarm
and Emergency Lighting system was installed over the August break,

3) Over a period of some time, there were those who had expressed concern
about the noise coming from the Hall on Fridays and Saturdays in particular.
This was the more made so when Bristol City Council Pollution Control
received a number of complaints from one unknown neighbour in Chock Lane.
In consequence, your Committee adopting a pro-active response and thereby
with both full co-operation with and from the Council, a Sound Limiter system
was installed at the end of April, with the decibel level (90dB) being set by the
Council in June. Subsequent sabotage by Hirers resulted in the limiter having to
be re-set on 7th October and the protective metal guard, fitted with anti-tamper
screws, placed in front of it.

4) During the August break, two further improvements were carried out:-

5) The first was the High Cleaning to the Main Hall. This meant that, together
with the ongoing fire and lighting works, there were two companies, both with
tower scaffolding, sharing available floor space. However, both companies
worked well together and no tower scaffolding wars were reported as having
broken out.

6) At the same time, your Committee was most appreciative of the Highbury
Badminton group, who hire the Hall, kindly undertaking the re-decoration of the
kitchen, as they have done – and seemingly traditionally so - for us in the past.
Our thanks to Helen Green and her willing band of helpers. A very busy August
for all concerned.

7) As you sit here, you may be aware of a „plop plop‟ in the background. This is
our new ice maker behind the Bar producing the goods. To have formed ice
cubes immediately available has proved a great boon to busy bar staff.

8) A further addition to the kitchen has been the installation of an instant hot
water boiler. This replaces the somewhat antiquated and potentially hazardous
urn. Producing tea and coffee has now become, quite literally, on tap.

9) Another significant improvement your Committee have had carried out and
which has been many years in the thinking and wondering what to do about it is
the replacement throughout the Hall on both floors of the many cracked and
sometimes broken window panes. This was no easy task given the metal bars
and guage of the window openings but we were fortunate to secure the services
of a local company in Filton who did a „cracking‟ job. Our thanks to JB Glazing.

10) In addition to all of the foregoing, your Committee arranged for the
servicing of the refrigerators in the kitchen to be undertaken together with the
glass washer, fridges and chillers behind the Bar.

11) Dear Walter Finlay has the unenviable task of taking responsibility for the
heating within the Hall, which constantly proves more temperamental than the
most flaxen haired of maidens. Fortunately, we seem to have secured the
services of a gas engineer who knows his stuff and who has sorted out some of
the more longstanding problems but at the end of the day, the radiators are old
and regularly need plenty of TLC – just like Walter, whose service to this
Westbury-on-Trym Village Hall AGM Minutes 2008 4
 wonderful building over so many many years has been legion and for which we
are all extremely grateful. Thank you Walter – and do continue to take care
crossing the road.

12) Additional lighting to the main hall has been added over the bar. This not
only illuminates the bar area for the benefit of the bar staff when the ongoing
hall event demands subdued lighting but it also proves beneficial to the
badminton groups. We aim to please.

13) Some will be aware that there are steps to the outside of the kitchen.
Primarily to better facilitate the transfer of bottle disposal arising from events, a
ramp has been ordered to overcome this and should be fitted shortly.

14) Also outside to the back of the kitchen, your Committee have introduced a
dedicated cardboard waste recycling bin. This has proved to be very useful, not
only to our „green‟ credentials but also to giving more space to our general
waste disposal availability. I am reluctant to address Patrick McGuiness as our
cleaner because Patrick is much more to this Hall than most of here have any
idea about – he is simply quite brilliant and a very great friend – but I know
Patrick finds his job so much easier now we have this cardboard facility.
Perhaps Gill will be making mention of Patrick later; I hope so.

15) The much rotted doors to the storage area under the outside patio have
finally been replaced with new.

16) Ken Bartlett will be pleased to know that, despite all of the foregoing, what
is really his Five Year Rolling Programme remains the watching brief for
ongoing management and maintenance of the Hall. A number of items within
the programme have necessarily been enveloped within what has been
undertaken over the last twelve months.

17) Your Committee are proposing to install an upgraded security System to the
Hall. This has arisen as much as to provide a revised Keyholders List to the
Police – as has been passed to the Police - in the event of the existing alarm
going off. The new system would be routed through a call centre to the Police,
with the intention that should the alarm be triggered, then the Police would, for
the most part, be in attendance. No-one fancies being called out to the Hall at
night alone or in the dark; our proposal should overcome this.

18) Notwithstanding all of the foregoing, I have not mentioned either the
refurbishment of the Brides Room or the Ladies toilet. This is because these
have been lovingly undertaken by Gill and others, and it is for them to take you
through and to take the plaudits. So more later.

19) That your Committee have been in the position to do so much and in such a
short time is in no small measure thanks to the solid foundations they inherited
from both Mike Potter your Chairman for some 14 years up to last year and to
Ken Bartlett your Treasurer for even longer. Both Mike and Ken left all of us a
sound and prudent legacy upon which we have been able to build, prosper and -
yes, whether we like it or not - to comply. Our thanks again, therefore, to Mike
and Ken.

20) So, there you have it. A lot has been done – and there is more to come. I
have been privileged to be a part of a loyal, eager, hardworking – and robust –
Westbury-on-Trym Village Hall AGM Minutes 2008 5
 Committee and for which your Chair Gill Wilmott has been really quite
outstanding. This said, I hope others here tonight will refer – or make
themselves known - to the equally significant contributions made to the Hall by
so many other dedicated and loyal volunteers who lie beyond the Committee and
without whose unseen and unsung help and love of the Hall we would not be
where we are today. With the continued support of all, your Committee will
endeavour to ensure this fine building is managed maintained and open to the
wider community to enjoy for many years to come. Thank you.

5.5 Report by Gardeners 2007/2008– Hilary Morse

Good Evening. Having missed the last three AGM‟s due to holidays, I am
pleased to be with you this evening.

As you can see the Hall Garden continues to flourish. We three gardeners John
Denis, Martin Crouch and I once again put on our gloves after Easter and have
met weekly to try to keep the growth under control. Spring bulbs and bedding
plants again provided colour & interest in the garden. The past miserable
summer produced one bonus, the hosepipe has not been needed.

We have replanted the area by the path to the Boiler Room, and are delighted to
see that the Silver Birch, planted in Joan Pickering‟s memory, is growing
steadily. To reduce the weeding we have filled the area around the small lawn,
beside the shed, with slate chippings and are well pleased with the result. Only
drawback, while their Parents enjoy a function inside the Hall little fingers do
like to remove these chippings onto the path!

5.6 Event Sub-Committee – Liz Cockitt (read by Anne Percival)

In the mid-1970s a small band of ladies with flair and expertise and a great love
for the Hall started staging events to raise funds for the Restoration which lasted
about 20 years. In the early nineties the group was „legalised‟ into a sub-
committee when Stuart Browning was in the Chair, and three of the original
members are still serving on it! Over the years, we have seen members come
and go, bringing new ideas and talents to the committee.

Henry St. Vincent Ames, the benefactor and builder of the Hall, wrote the he
wished the Hall to be used for, I quote:
„Lectures, readings, music, exhibitions of art, science, industry, agriculture,
horticulture and public instruction, generally with a view to the promotion of
innocent recreation and social and moral improvement.

Our aims have been to interpret his wishes in a modern way while raising much
needed funds for the upkeep of the Hall. He would have been pleased, I‟m sure,
to see the many concerts, theme evenings, celebrations of national days and
international festivals, lectures, art exhibitions, flower festivals and garden talks
that we have arranged, though I must say we haven‟t done very well on the
science and industry front!!! Over the years, we have raised between 2 and
3,000 pounds a year for the Hall, and in good years we have topped the £3,000
mark.

This year we have been able to hand over £2,996 to the Treasurer. This sum
includes two very welcome cheques for £350 which were awarded to us by a
Westbury-on-Trym Village Hall AGM Minutes 2008 6
 certain firm‟s Charitable Foundation, in recognition of the voluntary work done
by one of its employees, helping us set up for events and then manning the bar.
Our programme was, as ever, varied, with something for everyone, we hoped: in
October we staged a Jazz Night, December saw a Christmas Tea Party and also
our ever-popular „Christmas at the Village Hall‟ Supper Concert, in January the
ever-successful Quiz Night, and February the Race Night, organized with the
enormous help of the WOT Air Training Corps. We ended the season on a high
with and excellent celebration of St. George‟s Day which merited a whole
article in the local magazine, The Bristol 9. Thanks to all who have helped us
this year and to my fellow members on the committee for their commitment and
hard work. Events do not just happen; they take careful planning and a great
deal of time, especially on the day!

Some of us, myself included, will not be able to carry on after this season,
though we do have a programme planned for this coming year. If there are no
offers to take our places, this golden era of very fairly priced, imaginative
entertainment with good homemade refreshments, form snacks to 3-course
meals, will come to an end.

It will be interesting to see how the present economic climate affects ticket sales.

We do ask for your support.

5.7 Chairman’s Report – Gill Wilmott

I would like to thank all of the contributors for their reports and also for the hard
work they have done throughout the past year.

This past year has been a very interesting one to say the least. I think I speak for
all of the committee when I say that if we had known what we were taking on
we might have thought twice about volunteering!

To take over from Mike Potter and Ken Bartlett was a very daunting task
considering their able management over the last years, however the committee
have risen to the challenge and I believe we can say we go from strength to
strength.

When Mike reported last year, he stated that we had failed yet again to refurbish
the Ladies Toilet. I have to report that again we have been unable to carry out
the complete refurbishment, due to other priorities, however, the Ladies has had
a „makeover‟ being redecorated with new curtains being provided thanks to a
generous donation from the Fielder Club.

Redecoration of the Kitchen was also carried out during the August break by the
Highbury Badminton club – our thanks to them.

We have, however carried out a tremendous amount of essential compliance

work under the control of Bob Cornish who has dealt with both Council and
Contractor in his inimitable style! Our thanks go to Bob for all his hard work.

We also took the opportunity of the Hall closure in August to refurbish the
Brides‟ Room and I would like to thank Alison Laity, Diana Hawley and Lizzy
Betts for their contributions to this work. We have taken the opportunity of
dedicating this room to the memory of Joan Pickering, who originally thought of
Westbury-on-Trym Village Hall AGM Minutes 2008 7
 setting up the Brides‟ room and a plaque has been purchased which will be
placed on the door. Anyone wishing to see this room is more than welcome
after the meeting.

Barbara Venn took over the Dance Nights from Audrey Budd and these
continued throughout the last season, however Barbara felt unable to continue
this season so we are very grateful to Jill Maguire who has volunteered to step
into Barbara‟s shoes. Barbara has also resigned from the committee so I would
like to take this opportunity to thank her for all her hard work last year and wish
her well in the future.

We are unfortunately losing our Bar Manager, Cate Withers, who is leaving the
area. Cate will be sadly missed by all those who know her as she and Henry
Deval have been instrumental in improving the bar and its contents considerably
– although she never did get round to changing the beer! The good wishes of
the committee go with Cate and we hope she will return to see us. In the
meantime, Henry Deval will take over the Bar Manager role.

We will again be holding the „Toasting of the Tree‟ on 7 December this year
when we have an opportunity to invite all of the helpers to the Village Hall to
partake of a little Christmas Cheer, however, I would like to take this
opportunity to thank all of our helpers for their support over the last year, Liz
Cockitt and her team on the Events Committee who provide an interesting and
varied programme of events for the citizens of Westbury and beyond, Jane Voke
and the Flower Show Committee, Harriet Crocker, Pam Southern and Kit Bohen
who are our initial contacts with the potential hirers of the hall and Lucy Penn
who arranges the bar staff for all of the functions. The thanks of the committee
also go to Mike Chant who has kept our lawns so beautifully tidy and Hilary
Morse and her team of gardeners who keep the gardens looking so pretty and to
Patrick McGuinness who does such a wonderful job of keeping the hall clean
and tidy, together with Mervyn who comes in without fail after every major
event and stacks away the tables and chairs.

Unfortunately, John Harrison who used to help housekeeping the hall was taken
ill last year and has been unable to return. We wish to send John our best wishes
for a speedy recovery.

On a future note, next year is the 140th Anniversary of the Village Hall and we
shall be marking this with a series of events taking place over the year. For
example the first of these events is an ABBA evening taking place on 14
November, tickets are available for anyone who is interested. We will also be
organizing a Talent Show for children, a Bridal Fair, 70s/80s night and a Chilli
and Salsa night to name but a few. Posters and flyers will be available with
further information nearer the time. We would also welcome any ideas for
future events, please speak to myself or any other committee members if you
have any suggestions.

Finally, I would like to thank my fellow committee members who so willingly

give their time in order to ensure that this beautiful hall remains available to the
citizens of Westbury-on-Trym and to thank you all for coming to show your
continued support.

Westbury-on-Trym Village Hall AGM Minutes 2008 8

 6 Other reports

6.1 Flower Show – Jane Voke (read by Alexia Gardner)

This year‟s show was held on the 6th September 2008. We started the year with
two Committee members standing down, but three new members joined us.

Dave Matthews – Photography

Molly Jones – Flower arranging/cups
Yvonne Fowen – Raffle

We had new advertising in the schedule from Memorial Woodlands, Twiggy

Fashions and the new cafe in Henleaze Road.
A few weeks before the show we heard that we had lost our “Bubbles the
Clown” - a must for children. However, we did manage to find a substitute on-
line “Jane the Clown” who was a real hit.
Due to poor weather, we had worried about the gardening entries. A week
before the show we only had a matter of 15 entries and some of those were the
Committee. But, a happy ending – 140 people and 550 entries – a new record!
Despite the weather we had a really enjoyable show; enabling us to give the
village Hall a cheque for £950.00.
Next year is our 30th (Pearl) Anniversary and we hope to have a special show.
We already have booked Peter Lord from Aardman Animation to open the show
and hope to have a dog/sheep theme, with Aardman‟s permission!

7 Election of Committee Members

Karen White – proposed by Gill Wilmott and seconded by Cate Withers.

8 AOB

Hilary Long said that the Flower Show Report should come under the list of
Committee Reports rather than separately and although it was agreed that the
Flower Show is an entirely separate entity it was finally agreed by “the floor”
that it would be changed.

Hilary Long congratulated the new Committee for all the work they had carried
out over this last year with the minimum of disruption to users of the Hall.
Points that Hilary Long raised :-

 Ice Maker: Can anything be done about the noise of the ice maker?
This was noticed by those sitting at the rear of the hall at a recent lecture.
The Committee will look into this.
 Expenditure of money: Sound System – needs reviewing and
replacing? This will be investigated. Mike Potter pointed out that
microphones MUST be used by Speakers as there is a Loop system
which is redundant unless microphones are used.
 Ear Mounting Headband Microphones: These mikes would be
preferable for Speakers who have problems using the hand held
microphones. This will be investigated by the Committee.

Westbury-on-Trym Village Hall AGM Minutes 2008 9

  Leaflet box in main entrance: Suggestions for a wider range of leaflets
of “what‟s on” in local and surrounding areas. There is a good range of
leaflets but a larger range can be considered for the future.
 Landline Telephone in Village Hall: This telephone only receives
incoming calls – can it be altered to have the facility for outgoing calls as
well as incoming ones? The Treasurer will look into this. The
changeover of suppliers has caused major problems but it should be
rectified shortly.
 List of Management Committee Contact Numbers: Hilary Long
asked if a list of contact numbers of the Committee could be on display
in the entrance hall. The Chair refused on a matter of personal security
risk to the Committee as a whole.
 Display Stands: Display Stands belonging to the WOT Society went
missing in 2007/08 and Hilary Long was unhappy that they had not been
fully compensated for the loss. The Chair of the Westbury-on-Trym
Village Hall Management Committee confirmed that this was not the
responsibility of the Village Hall and that she had written to Hilary Long
(our letter of 6th February 2008 refers) enclosing a cheque in the sum of
£250 as a gesture of goodwill but that this was later returned
unpresented. The Chair again confirmed that the matter is now closed.

9 Mike Potter proposed a vote of thanks to the Committee for all their
hard work.

10 Closing – the Chair Gill Wilmott

That completes the business for this year‟s AGM and my sincere thanks
to everyone for coming to hear what we have been doing this last year.
Your support is greatly appreciated and very essential in order to
maintain the high standard of facilities that are offered to the local
community. I should like to ask you all to join us for a drink and some
canapés and look forward to seeing you again next year.

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Westbury-on-Trym Village Hall AGM Minutes 2008 10