October 2024 Newsletter
Dear Friends,
I begin with some photographs of the Main Hall - which is looking absolutely fantastic after a lick of paint to the walls and panelling and the thorough refurbishment of the flooring
We are extremely grateful for the patience of our regular users, who decamped to other parts of the building for a couple of weeks - and especially to those of you that generously donated to our appeal for funding..... I hope you will see that it has all been worthwhile - and that the Hall is now ready for another few years of varied service to the community. Thank you !!
On the subject of making investments in our infrastructure (in order to protect the future of the building and to better serve the village), you may be interested to learn about a couple of ongoing projects. We are currently investigating the installation of PV panels on the south-facing side of our southern roof - along with the possibility of securing some grant funding from Community Action Norfolk. If successful, this project will help to reduce our carbon footprint and save us a fortune on our electricity bills. We have also been in discussion with the Parish Council about making the currently rather 'informal' extension of the car park into something more permanent. This will ease parking congestion at busy times - which do seem to be coming around more and more frequently. We are hopeful of being able to bring you positive news on both projects over the coming few months.
Elsewhere, there is simply masses to report: the return of HotSpot lunches and Scottish Dancing, a Curry Night and a Race Night, quizzes galore - and the early signs of Christmas.... Read on, dear reader. Read on..................
With kindest regards,
John Wareham
For the Brancaster Village Hall & Bar Committee
Regular Groups
The weekly programme of groups and clubs looks like this for the next few weeks.
Yoga on Monday evenings, 6.30pm to 8.00pm
Baby & Toddler Group on Tuesday mornings, 9.30am to 11.30am
Coffee Morning on Wednesday mornings,10.30am to 11.45am
Beginners Pilates with Sarah on Thursday afternoons, 12.30pm to 1.30pm
Scottish Dancing, Tuesday 8th October, 6.00pm to 8.00pm
Mobile Library Van, Thursday 17th October, 1.55pm to 2.30pm
Events of the Month
Concert at St Mary's Church: Saturday 5th October, 7.30pm
Not a BVH event, but you may be interested to attend the latest concert being hosted by 'Music in the Burnhams'.
Joo Yeon Sir (violin) and Irina Andrievsky (piano) combine to bring you a performance of music by Gershwin, Grieg and Schumann. Tickets are £20 each.
For more details, see www.musicintheburnhams.com - or call 07989-177079.
Scottish Dancing: Tuesday 8th October: 6.00pm to 8.00pm
It's back !! Your monthly opportunity to Strip the Willow and meet a Dashing White Sergeant is back for its 2024/25 season !!
Each session costs £2.50 per person - and the Bar is open for interval drinks. Your dates are as follows:
- Tuesday 8th October
- Tuesday 5th November
- Tuesday 17th December
- Tuesday 21st January
- Tuesday 25th February
- Tuesday 18th March
For any enquiries, please write to lucinda.mackworth.young@gmail.com
HotSpot Lunch: Friday 18th October: 12.00 noon to 3.00pm
The return of our HotSpot lunches is a huge relief.
Your 2024 dates are Friday 18th October and Friday 6th December, and you will be served with hot soup, a selection of sandwiches, cold buffet, dessert, coffee/tea and biscuits.
We ask for a suggested donation of £5 per person (cash only, please) and look forward to welcoming you to Brancaster Village Hall whether on your own or with others.
Please book by Wednesday 16th October for the October lunch by ringing Babs Wade on 01485-522273 or email hotspotlunches@gmail.com.
Halloween Party: Saturday 26th October: 5.00pm to 8.00pm
We will be offering all of the usual Halloween frivolities for the children: a monster exhibition, scary face-painting, a children's disco in the bar from 6.00pm. This is sure to be lots of fun for the entire family.
Bordolli's Pizza Van will be serving from 5.00pm until 8.00pm
Dates for Your Diary
We have a number of other happenings for you to enjoy over the next couple of months.
BVH Race Night: Saturday 2nd November, 6.00pm to 9.00pm
Back by popular demand, the BVH Race Night Team will be laying on another exciting evening of races over the sticks and on the flat. This is one of our major fundraising events each year - and we would love to see you all sponsoring races, buying horses and coming along on the night itself. Your involvement will help us to fund your Village Hall..... Thank you !!!
We are looking for race sponsors (it costs £50 plus a prize donation to sponsor a race) and we would like to invite you to buy a horse or two in one of six races to be shown. Buying a horse costs £10 - and each race winner will receive a super prize, donated by the sponsor.
Please ask behind the Bar for more details - and see the blackboard in Bar71 for the Race Card
.
Curry Night: Saturday 15th November
Following on from the stunning success of Thai Night in May, we are delighted to bring you our second food night - this time featuring traditional Indian cuisine from the very wonderful Currylicious. See: www.currylicious.co.uk
As before, we will be taking bookings for tables of six - and full details will be released soon. Any early-bird table reservations can be made via email to bvhsetup@gmail.com
Winter Fair: Saturday 30th November, 10.00am to 3.00pm
Bigger and better every year, planning for the 2024 BVH Winter Fair is well under way.
We will be offering you lots of great gift ideas for Christmas - from a wide range of stalls including Ceramics, Art, Crafts and much more. Plus a Cake Stall, a Bottle Tombola and a performance at 2.00pm from the Community Choir.
Brancaster Community Choir
Our fabulous Brancaster Community Choir is preparing its programme for the coming year - and inevitably, it begins with carols for Christmas.
The Choir will be singing at the Winter Fair (see above) and then performing at BVH at 6.00pm on Thursday 19th December.
Choir rehearsals will be starting soon - held at BVH from 5.30pm to 7.00pm. You are all welcome to join.
Your rehearsal dates are as follows:
- Thursday 8th November
- Thursday 14th November
- Friday 22nd November
- Friday 29th November
- Friday13th December
Please contact lucinda.mackworth.young@gmail.com for more details.
Details of all events, clubs and food vans are posted in the 'What's On ?' section of our website and on our pages on Facebook and Instagram.
If you would like more information about any event in the calendar, please send us an email. Please also let us know if you would like to discuss booking a regular time for any new groups that would like to use the Hall.
NOTE: We can now be reached on the following email: bvhsetup@gmail.com
We start by welcoming Lillian, who has recently joined the Bar71 team. Regular customers will have noted that Lillian also co-runs the Art Studio at the rear of the building.
The month's programme of events looks like this:
Thursday 3rd October: Quiz Night, 8.00pm
Friday 4th October: Darts Match, 8.00pm
Wednesday 9th October: Pool League, 8.00pm
Thursday 10th October: Skittles Night, 8.00pm
Thursday 17th October: Quiz Night, 8.00pm
Sunday 20th October: Norfolk Super League Darts, 6.00pm
Thursday 24th October: Skittles Night, 8.00pm
Wednesday 30th October: Pool League, 8.00pm
Thursday 31st October: Quiz Night, 8.00pm
Beery News
This month's new offering is Moongazer Brewery's 'Beat the Pad' - which is 5% abv single hop American-style IPA. It offers characteristic notes of pine, citrus, blueberry, mango and passionfruit - and will be on tap from 7th October. Sounds scrummy !!
Opening Hours
Wednesday to Saturday: 5.00pm-10.00pm
Sunday: Midday to 5pm
As ever, we thank you for your enthusiastic and thirsty support and look forward to seeing you very soon !!!
Mark Eldridge very kindly writes this section for us:
Warm greetings from BVS,
Your Post Office branch continues to go from strength to strength - and we are are enormously grateful for your support. I therefore thought that it might be useful for me to summarise all of the services that we can now offer.
Banking
Cash withdrawals
Cash deposits
Cheque deposits
Balance enquiries
Mailing Services
Royal Mail including tracked 24 and 48 hour services with / without a signature
Parcel Force express and worldwide
'Drop and Go'. If you send parcels and other mail items often, this service allows you drop them off with us and go. No waiting at the counter, scanning, weighing or adding postage labels.
Bill Payments
Gas, electric and water
Broadband and mobile top ups
Council tax, housing and rent
Travel Money
Pre-order in branch or online and collect from us
Or perhaps use a travel money card
Spend abroad with no charges in any of the supported currencies
Make contactless, Apple Pay and Google pay payments
Manage your account, top up or freeze your card in our travel app
Thank you for supporting your local post office
Kind regards,
Mark and all of the team at Brancaster Stores
As ever, please get in touch if you would like to:
Rent the Hall for a private function - a party, a christening or a wedding.
Make a suggestion about new events, if you would like to start a new group or activity, join an existing group or even help with the running of BVH.
Apply for a job in Bar71 - for a large or a small number of shifts.
Website
For enquiries, please email us: bvhsetup@gmail.com
Find out more, visit our website: brancastervillagehall.communitybookings.co.uk
© 2021 Brancaster Village Hall, All rights reserved.
Registered Company: The Simms Reeve Institute Brancaster, Main Road, Brancaster, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE31 8AA
Company Number: 1180739 | VAT number: 309 4094 06
Our mailing address is:
Brancaster Village Hall
Brancaster Village Hall
Main Road, Brancaster
King's Lynn, Norfolk PE31 8AA
United Kingdom