ACRE Action with Communities in Rural England - #VillageHallsWeek

Village Halls Week

England’s 10,000+ Village Halls are at the heart of rural community life - providing an important hub for social activities, classes and services.

Village Halls Week ran for the first time in 2018. The campaign is an annual and national celebration of rural community spaces and the people whose time and dedication keep them going. Organised by the ACRE Network, the campaign runs in January and sees a huge variety of events happening across England.

This year's Village Halls Week will run from Monday 20th January to Sunday 26th.

The aim of the week-long campaign is to champion the diverse range of buildings which make up the network and promote the sheer volume of services they offer.

There will be an opportunity to say thank you to the volunteers who run the buildings and learn more about the groups, organisations, individuals and businesses who are making use of these buildings week in and week out. Predominantly the week will take place on social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) however, ACRE Network members will also host events to engage with people in their area.

Nationally ACRE speaks up for Village Halls, ensuring Government policymakers are aware of the challenges faced by volunteers who are often struggling with red-tape and the demands of managing a community building.

Village Halls Week by Kate Fox.
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Watch it at the link here >> youtube.com

The National Rural Touring Forum commissioned poet Kate Fox to write a poem about her experiences with rural touring and village halls for the 2019 Village Halls Week, in partnership with ACRE.

Upchurch Village Hall

Upchurch Village Hall was built over 60 years ago and as a registered charity all Upchurch Village Hall Management Committee (UVHMC), members become a ‘Trustee’ of the Village Hall for the duration that they are on the Committee. All Trustees have a legal responsibility for the running of the Hall, along with all the associated health & safety and financial responsibilities. Maintenance and future planning are also part of the role.

The Village Hall Management Committee members are volunteers who meet regularly throughout the year to ensure the smooth running of the Hall for all the local groups and organisations that hire it on a regular basis, and for those individuals who hire the Hall for private parties and special family occasions.

Thank you for everything you do 👏🏼

To book Upchurch Village Hall, please contact Mollie Harriss on: 01634 364859

Visit the website >> https://upchurchvillagehall.weebly.com

Improvement Project

Many residents will have already seen the necessary remedial work carried out by the Village Hall Management Sub Committee recently to bring the Hall up to standard. In recent years, generous donations have been received from numerous individuals, local Councillors, Council grants, the Co-op Membership Local Community Fund and from numerous fundraising events held in the Hall itself. Together all these have enabled essential work to be carried out, and keep the Hall in good working order. 

The Friends of Upchurch Village Hall has raised thousands of pounds so far and UpARA has nominated the Village Hall as their chosen charity for this year.

Thanks to all the well supported fundraising events, the Sub Committee has been able to complete parts of the improvement project using their own funds.

The fundraising continues this year at UpARA's Quiz Night at the Hall on Friday 17th January and their Valentine's Party on Friday 14th February.

Ticket details here >> http://bit.ly/3a7GhI2

Thank you for everything you do 👏🏼

Celebration

Help ACRE celebrate the huge contribution that Village Halls and the volunteers running them make to rural communities throughout England, with the hashtag #VillageHallsWeek and support your local Village Hall!

Upchurch Matters
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Who Do You Recognise From This Old Photograph? What Was The Year?

Click the photograph to enlarge.

Just for fun

Thanks to Caroline Smith for sharing this old photograph of children at Holywell School. It's not known exactly which year the photo was taken but those pictured are believed to be around 60 now.

Caroline's husband Pete Smith is pictured crouching just to the left of the girl wearing a tartan skirt. Caroline found the photo recently (possibly from a local newspaper) at the house of Pete's parents Joyce and Tom Smith.

The caption reads:

“Fellow pupils crowd round a couple of junior school boys having a quiet game of chess - a pastime they learned while on an Easter Holiday in Ostend.”

Who do you recognise?

What was the year?

Upchurch Matters

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Windows Smashed, Lorry Crash and Front Door Window Smashed - Newington

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: 46/7133/20

Between Friday the 10th and Saturday the 11th of January, all the windows at Acorn Carwash in Newington High Street were smashed, possibly with a ball bearing.

Crime Number: 46/6973/20

Between 11:30am and 12:30pm on Thursday the 9th of January, a lorry crashed into some trees, these were chopped down and thrown over the boundary wall of a property in Ellens Field, Boyces Hill, Newington.

Crime Number: 46/5567/20

A front door window was smashed with a brick in Pear Tree Walk, Newington sometime on Thursday the 9th of January.

If you have any information that could help investigators please contact Kent Police on telephone number 101 and quote the relevant crime number above.

For more information on crime prevention visit: www.kent.police.uk

Kent Community Messaging

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Funeral Arrangements for Jim Harman

Jim's funeral will be held on Wednesday the 5th of February 2020.

11.00am - St. Mary the Virgin Church, Horsham Lane, Upchurch, ME9 7AL.

12.15pm - Garden of England Crematorium, Sheppey Way, Bobbing, Sittingbourne, ME9 8GZ.

13.30pm - The Crown Public House, 9 The Street, Upchurch, ME9 7EU.

Family flowers only please.

Donations in memory of Jim gratefully accepted via just giving:

www.justgiving.com/team/RememberJimHarman

Some people have expressed concerns that just giving take 10%.

There is a voluntary platform fee which is set to 10% by default.

Click on the drop-down box and select “other” to set the value to zero.

If you wish to make a donation via cash, cheque or bank transfer, please Email me at: zmikep@outlook.com and I can provide details to ensure your donation is received.

You can also post a cheque to 94 Chaffes Lane, Upchurch, ME9 7BH.

There is also the option to donate via John Weir funereal directors in Rainham.

130-132 High Street, Rainham, Kent, ME8 8AR.

Please make cheques payable to the chosen charity either Parkinsons UK or Leukaemia UK and ensure “in memory of Jim Harman” is written on the rear.

Do let me know if you choose this route and I can manually add it to the total on the web site.

Ann has asked me to pass on her thanks for all the messages of support and donations received so far.

Thank you!

Mike Powell

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Thanksgiving Service for Marjorie Lacy

Marjorie and Jan Lacy.

A thanksgiving service for Marjorie Lacy will be held on Sunday the 19th of January 2020 at 2:00pm in St. Mary the Virgin Church, Upchurch.

Everyone is invited to come and join with us in this celebration of her life.

Thank you

Jan Lacy
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New TiksPac Dispenser at the Recreation Ground

Upchurch Parish Council has installed the first of two new TiksPac Station Dispensers at the Recreation Ground, near the pedestrian entrance to Chaffes Lane.

The bags have now arrived and the Dispenser has been filled.

I am still confirming with fellow Parish Councillors the location for the second Dispenser.

Dog owners can put their bagged dog waste in any public litter bin or take it home to your household green bin.

Thank you 

Councillor Tyrone Ripley

Chairman - Upchurch Parish Council
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