What can the Hall provide?
The Hall comprises 3 activity rooms, a catering quality Kitchen, bar area, storage and a modern foyer with ladies', gents' and accessibility toilets with additional baby changing facilities. The Hall also has its own modular stage, which can be assembled in many different ways to provide an area small enough for one speaker to use as a dais or for a full production! There is also an excellent audio-visual system with a large, white projector screen and 'hearing-loop' facilities.
THE FOYER
The Foyer is a warm, welcoming entrance with cloakroom pegs and a couple of seats. The toilets, caretaker's cupboard and additional large storage cupboard are accessible from here. The Foyer leads directly into the Main Hall.
THE MAIN HALL (24' x 36')
The Main Hall can cater for groups requiring approximately 8 large tables, 65 chairs and shared use of the Kitchen & toilets. It has direct access to the bar area and main entrance into the Kitchen.
THE CONSTANCE GRAY ROOM (24' x 18')
The Constance Gray Room can cater for groups requiring approximately 5 large tables, 35 chairs and shared use of Kitchen & toilets. It has its own direct access into the back of the Kitchen and to an additional single toilet. The main store cupboard leads off this room, where groups may keep some of their equipment, by prior arrangement with the Hall's Management Committee.
NB: The two above rooms are partitioned by sliding wooden doors and heavy, padded curtains. The sliding doors are opened to make the rooms into one large space (24' x 54')
THE COMMITTEE ROOM (12' x 14')
The Committee Room is ideal for meetings or for small groups that are able to use the 1 large table that is in the room and up to approximately 20 chairs
with shared use of Kitchen & toilets. It has its own direct access into the back of the Kitchen and to an additional single toilet.
THE KITCHEN
The Kitchen has catering grade facilities, fitted in 2016, that have been inspected by North Norfolk District Council and awarded 5 stars. The Hall Management Committee does not employ caterers directly and anyone booking the Hall will need to arrange this themselves but we can give information of those we know that regularly use the Kitchen if this is helpful. The Kitchen was officially opened in the Autumn of 2016 by Galton Blackiston, the Michelin starred chef and owner of Morston Hall.
THE BAR
The Bar is a small room off the Main Hall. The Hall Management Committee are currently in the process of gaining a full licence for the Hall and are hoping to further develop the Bar in the future.
The photographs below will give you an idea of the facilities available but do contact our Bookings Secretary if you wish to make a visit to see if our venue is appropriate for your needs.
Many thanks to U3A Digital Photography for their brilliant photographs.
THE FOYER
The Foyer is a warm, welcoming entrance with cloakroom pegs and a couple of seats. The toilets, caretaker's cupboard and additional large storage cupboard are accessible from here. The Foyer leads directly into the Main Hall.
THE MAIN HALL (24' x 36')
The Main Hall can cater for groups requiring approximately 8 large tables, 65 chairs and shared use of the Kitchen & toilets. It has direct access to the bar area and main entrance into the Kitchen.
THE CONSTANCE GRAY ROOM (24' x 18')
The Constance Gray Room can cater for groups requiring approximately 5 large tables, 35 chairs and shared use of Kitchen & toilets. It has its own direct access into the back of the Kitchen and to an additional single toilet. The main store cupboard leads off this room, where groups may keep some of their equipment, by prior arrangement with the Hall's Management Committee.
NB: The two above rooms are partitioned by sliding wooden doors and heavy, padded curtains. The sliding doors are opened to make the rooms into one large space (24' x 54')
THE COMMITTEE ROOM (12' x 14')
The Committee Room is ideal for meetings or for small groups that are able to use the 1 large table that is in the room and up to approximately 20 chairs
with shared use of Kitchen & toilets. It has its own direct access into the back of the Kitchen and to an additional single toilet.
THE KITCHEN
The Kitchen has catering grade facilities, fitted in 2016, that have been inspected by North Norfolk District Council and awarded 5 stars. The Hall Management Committee does not employ caterers directly and anyone booking the Hall will need to arrange this themselves but we can give information of those we know that regularly use the Kitchen if this is helpful. The Kitchen was officially opened in the Autumn of 2016 by Galton Blackiston, the Michelin starred chef and owner of Morston Hall.
THE BAR
The Bar is a small room off the Main Hall. The Hall Management Committee are currently in the process of gaining a full licence for the Hall and are hoping to further develop the Bar in the future.
The photographs below will give you an idea of the facilities available but do contact our Bookings Secretary if you wish to make a visit to see if our venue is appropriate for your needs.
Many thanks to U3A Digital Photography for their brilliant photographs.
Main HallLooking towards the front; showing the available projection screen in lowered position, projector (on ceiling), double doors to Foyer and serving hatch open to Kitchen.
Main HallShowing Kitchen hatches closed and audio-visual equipment access points (on the wall to the left of the double doors).
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Main HallLooking at the other side of the Main Hall with Bar, piano and stacked staging (top left of photo).
Constance Gray RoomShowing access to toilet and Kitchen (left green door) and access to Committee Room (double green doors) and outside door, which leads to the rear car park.
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Who manages the Hall?
The Village Hall is a Registered Charity (number 303989) and has two sets of Trustees:
Custodian Trustees
The Custodian Trustee is High Kelling Parish Council. The Hall is vested in the Custodian Trustee and its responsibility is simply to hold the legal title of the Charity’s property and to act on the lawful directions of the Committee in any transactions affecting the title.
The Managing Trustees, who are Members of the Management Committee
The Managing Trustees are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Village Hall Charity, in accordance with its Trust Deed or Governing Instrument. The majority of England’s 8,500 Village Halls are managed in this way and few problems are experienced as long as Committee Members manage the building with all reasonable care and prudence, in the same way that they manage their own affairs.
Committee Members are expected to attend the meetings of the Management Committee so that they have a full knowledge of how the Committee is run, the financial situation, what decisions are being made and why. More importantly, Committee Members are able to express thoughts and ideas on how this vital village asset can be best managed. Some Committee Members are elected as representatives of the general populace of High Kelling. Other Committee Members are put forward as representatives of a village club or society. The role of all Members is to ensure the best way forward for the Village Hall. Committee Members representing clubs or societies are, of course, entitled to put forward their organisation's views but if there is a clash, the decision must be in the best interests of the Charity.
Every Committee Member has to sign the Declaration of Acceptance of Office, showing that they have read the Deed of Constitution and fully understand and accept the responsibilities it details.
The Committee is generally expected to have 14 Members: 9 Members nominated by organisations in the village that regularly use the Village Hall and 5 elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee is allowed to increase the total number to 16 by co-opting another 2 members, as it sees fit - this may be particularly useful in order to bring in certain skills and knowledge that could benefit the sustainability of the Village Hall. At present there are 12 Committee members so there are spaces that can be taken up - if you are interested please contact the Committee Chair.
Once the members are agreed and elected at the Annual General Meeting, the new Committee elects its Officers. Some Committee Members may have certain interests or skills that are reflected by taking on responsibility for other support roles. Some support roles are taken on by volunteers who are not Committee members.
The current Management Committee is made up as follows:
Officers:
Chairman - Colin Kemp
Vice Chairman - John Mangan
Secretary - Glenn Houchell
Treasurer - Peter Rutherford
Bookings Secretary. - Peter Rutherford
Other Committee Members: Ann Alborough
Sean Doran
Joy Lane
Other Non-Committee Support Roles:
Housekeeping - Lyn Baguley
Website. - Mandy Woodland
Custodian Trustees
The Custodian Trustee is High Kelling Parish Council. The Hall is vested in the Custodian Trustee and its responsibility is simply to hold the legal title of the Charity’s property and to act on the lawful directions of the Committee in any transactions affecting the title.
The Managing Trustees, who are Members of the Management Committee
The Managing Trustees are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Village Hall Charity, in accordance with its Trust Deed or Governing Instrument. The majority of England’s 8,500 Village Halls are managed in this way and few problems are experienced as long as Committee Members manage the building with all reasonable care and prudence, in the same way that they manage their own affairs.
Committee Members are expected to attend the meetings of the Management Committee so that they have a full knowledge of how the Committee is run, the financial situation, what decisions are being made and why. More importantly, Committee Members are able to express thoughts and ideas on how this vital village asset can be best managed. Some Committee Members are elected as representatives of the general populace of High Kelling. Other Committee Members are put forward as representatives of a village club or society. The role of all Members is to ensure the best way forward for the Village Hall. Committee Members representing clubs or societies are, of course, entitled to put forward their organisation's views but if there is a clash, the decision must be in the best interests of the Charity.
Every Committee Member has to sign the Declaration of Acceptance of Office, showing that they have read the Deed of Constitution and fully understand and accept the responsibilities it details.
The Committee is generally expected to have 14 Members: 9 Members nominated by organisations in the village that regularly use the Village Hall and 5 elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee is allowed to increase the total number to 16 by co-opting another 2 members, as it sees fit - this may be particularly useful in order to bring in certain skills and knowledge that could benefit the sustainability of the Village Hall. At present there are 12 Committee members so there are spaces that can be taken up - if you are interested please contact the Committee Chair.
Once the members are agreed and elected at the Annual General Meeting, the new Committee elects its Officers. Some Committee Members may have certain interests or skills that are reflected by taking on responsibility for other support roles. Some support roles are taken on by volunteers who are not Committee members.
The current Management Committee is made up as follows:
Officers:
Chairman - Colin Kemp
Vice Chairman - John Mangan
Secretary - Glenn Houchell
Treasurer - Peter Rutherford
Bookings Secretary. - Peter Rutherford
Other Committee Members: Ann Alborough
Sean Doran
Joy Lane
Other Non-Committee Support Roles:
Housekeeping - Lyn Baguley
Website. - Mandy Woodland
What is the history of the Hall?
Building a Hall for High Kelling.....
The Hall was conceived by the public spirited young mothers of High Kelling during the mid-1950s, who had many discussions in their homes before organising a public meeting in a local contractor’s garage, having arranged for Mr Bert Moulton to take the Chair.
A Steering Committee was set up and money raisers were organised. Regular whist and canasta drives were held in residents’ homes and at Kelling Hospital; bazaars were held in Holt in St John’s Hall and in the Church Hall. Summer Fetes were held in Miss Jane Hales’s garden in Holt for several years and various local dignitaries (including the Commanding Officer from the American Air Force Base at Sculthorpe) opened these events. A major Craft Exhibition (opened by Miss Roslyn from Anglia TV) was held in Holt and a May Queen was chosen for a May Festival, complete with Maypole dancing on the newly purchased site on which the Hall was eventually built.
Once the Committee had the site, in 1962, it was possible to arrange events in the village and it was obvious that sceptical residents now realised that this was not just a pipe dream. Support, which had been slow at first, now accelerated. In 1968, the first annual fete in Wing Commander Hallows’s garden in Pineheath Road and on this occasion Mr Reginald Gamble, the then newly retired veteran broadcaster, was a guest opener.
After some twelve years fundraising and having had many helpful consultations with representatives from Norfolk County Education Committee (including a very young Gillian Watts – much later to become Gillian Shepherd MP and a government minister) the Steering Committee satisfied the requirements and were awarded capital grant of 50% of the cost of materials for the Hall. In order to qualify for grant aid, the Hall was registered as a charity and the Trust Deed required the inclusion of the organisations which used the hall. As this was necessary before the building was erected, various Groups were formed and named in the Deed although they had no premises in which to meet. These included the High Kelling Drama Group, Ladies Fellowship, Saturday Club (later to become the Dance Club), High Kelling Society, All Saints Church, High Kelling Horticultural Society (to become the Garden Club) and High Kelling Card and Games Club (the fore-runner of the Bridge Club).
The total cost to build the Hall was £2,400 of which the Committee had raised £1,200.
The Hall was designed by a local resident, Clifford Smith, who was working for a major national construction firm at the time and his aim was to produce a building which could be constructed by amateur labour. It was built entirely by the volunteer labour of some fifteen residents during 1968/69 led by Mr Roger Clarke who was a carpenter working for the local builder and whose expertise guided the amateur labourers.
The Social Centre, as it was then called, was opened in September 1969 by Dick Bagnall-Oakley, a Gresham's schoolteacher, naturalist and broadcaster.
The “Big Extension Project” 1998-2002
In 1998 a legacy of £13,000 was left to the Social Centre by Constance Gray (who had used the Hall as a studio for dancing classes) and the Management Committee agreed to put this towards a major extension and refurbishment of the Hall. The ambitious plans included the lengthening of the hall by 50% providing a “Constance Gray Room” which could be separated with a sliding screen wall, sound absorbent curtains, enlarging the kitchen providing a toilet for the disabled and improving the car park. Thanks to grants from the Lottery Community Fund, Norfolk County Council (Norfolk Rural Community Council), North Norfolk District Council and High Kelling Parish Council, the extension project was able to be undertaken in 2002 at a cost of £102,000. The extended Hall was opened by broadcaster and author John Timpson in November 2002.
The “Entrance Project” 2010-2013
Over the years a great many improvements were made to the “Social Centre”. However, increasingly parts of the original structure were showing their age. By 2010, the Committee of the time recognised that what was an attractive and popular Hall was being let down by an ageing and problematic entrance. So, just what was wrong with it?
The old entrance had done sterling work but it was looking rather sad for itself. The flat roof sagged, holding water and other debris; the front door positively leaked heat, and was seemingly a magnet for leaves and access to the Main Hall was via a narrow passage with a difficult 180 degree turn for wheel chair users, who also had to navigate a row of spare chairs, a table and a wardrobe sized cleaning cupboard before entering the Hall itself. The lobby carpet was good at retaining dirt and wet but never dried out, causing a lingering musty smell. The need for electrical improvements over the years had also produced a striking appearance of 'wire spaghetti' to the walls - with nagging doubts about which strands were 'live'!
But perhaps the least inviting feature was the toilets. By 2010 these were 43 years old - cold, cramped and very basic for users who were used to rather better facilities at home!
Grasping this very large “nettle”, John Nickson, Bob Cummings and Geoff Bedford drew up some ideas for an entrance that would complement the Hall’s popular amenities. Chris Chinn, a resident professional architect, gave the plans a polish and the views of villagers were sought. Feedback was very positive and, with the Parish Council paying for the planning application, a three year long fund raising effort began.
Early estimates of cost, around £30,000 or so, proved woefully short of the mark when tenders were eventually received. On the positive side applications for grants had been remarkably successful with North Norfolk Council, Norfolk Community Foundation, Norfolk Rural Community Council, the Environmental Projects Agency Ltd (landfill!) and the Big Lottery Fund gifting an impressive £40,000 between them.
Still more impressive was the way the village community had taken “their” Village Hall to its heart at this time. But, despite residents and the Hall Committee having raised a staggering £30,000, the Committee still appeared to be around £10,000 short of funds. Our 'Knight in shining armour' proved to be a local builder, Morrissey’s, known for its community building work. In discussions they agreed to undertake the work for the available funds. Phew! The prospect of having to return all the monies raised just didn’t bear thinking about!
The rest, as they say, is history. Without losing a single booking, the work proceeded well and on 29th November 2013 our Life President, Geof Knights, cut the ribbon to declare the new entrance well and truly open.
"The Committee's aim, when it set out, was to produce an entrance that did credit to the excellent Hall facilities and one which gave the village a true sense of pride in their Hall. We like to believe we succeeded." (Geoff Bedford - who kindly submitted the report on the 'Entrance Project')
The "Kitchen, Roof & Drains Projects!" 2014 - 2018
2014 saw the sad death of a villager, Ann Spencer MBE. Ann bequeathed a substantial sum to be used for the benefit of not only several charities in Holt but also High Kelling Village Hall.
It was decided that this bequest should be used to carry out any necessary work to maintain and improve the Hall rather than meeting routine running costs. A decision was made to improve the kitchen, replacing the old domestic kitchen units, which had suffered from the weight of 80 sets or crockery and cutlery etc and the oven and other equipment, which were reaching the end of their useful lives. Added to this, alterations were made to provide an additional serving hatch with structural alterations to improve access to the rear WC when the Committee Room was in use. All areas were made accessible from outside the building rather than through the Main Hall as previously. This work necessitated closing the Hall to users for a month being completed by the end of June 2016.
In recognition of Ann's bequest a mural was commissioned commemorating her life and interests; this can be seen above the kitchen entrance from the main hall.
The Management Committee's attention then turned to the fabric of the Village Hall itself. A professional structural survey was commissioned which identified that the flat roofs were reaching the end of their lives.Thanks again to the bequest, a new roof with a 25-30 year life expectancy and with vastly improved thermal insulation was commissioned and constructed without affecting the use of the Hall. The Hall audio-visual system was overhauled and improved with better speakers and a projector fixed to the ceiling. New fencing replaced the old at the side of the rear car park.
Another area of concern was the septic tank drainage system, which had an unfortunate knack of needing emptying at the most inconvenient of times, forgive the pun! Thanks to a significant contribution from North Norfolk District Council's Big Society Fund we were connected to main drainage in early 2018. This project was was rather irreverently refereed to as 'in one end and out the other'.
2018 also saw the replacement of the old fluorescent tube lighting in the Whole Hall and Committee Room. Over the years the fittings had deteriorated because of the heat they generated and changing tubes was becoming a significant problem. We decided to opt for long life LED lighting which also reduced the running cost. Competitive tendering happily identified a local electrician who not only proved far cheaper than competitors but completed the work at a weekend thereby not affecting use of the Hall.
All these improvements plus the acquisition of licenses to allow the playing of copyright music and sale of alcohol have helped maintain the Hall as a great venue.
Sadly 2018 saw the death of our Life President, Geof Knights, shortly after his award of the MBE for services to High Kelling. In August of that year the Hall was proud to host a village wide celebration of Geof's contribution to village life and the 50th anniversary of work starting on the Social Centre as the Village Hall was then known. Fortunately the beginnings of the Hall were captured in film and have now been transferred to DVD.
The Hall's Management Committee look forward to keeping this marvellous venue at the very best standards possible. So here's to the future!