Play Area Improvements
In 2023 we began fundraising for improvements to the children's play area. We had a swing set, toddler frame and a climbing frame for slightly older children. We had previously made improvements to the toddler frame to change the netted bridge to a wooden walkway to make it more toddler friendly. But had identified that we were missing something for children aged approximately 6-11years old.
In 2024 we sought feedback from the community with regards to their needs and wishes for future developments and the committee all joined in in fundraising for future playground additions. We managed to raise £10,000 to help fund the new equipment and the Village Hall committee topped up the rest of the funds.
We are happy to announce that at the end of May 2025 our new and improved playground opened! It immediately became a popular area for the children of the community and surrounding areas with many coming to enjoy the new trim trail. monkey bars, roll over bars and up and over frame. We hope to look at future fundraising for something for teenagers such as a MUGA as due to the price of play area equipment we were not able to accommodate this in the current improvements.
In 2024 we sought feedback from the community with regards to their needs and wishes for future developments and the committee all joined in in fundraising for future playground additions. We managed to raise £10,000 to help fund the new equipment and the Village Hall committee topped up the rest of the funds.
We are happy to announce that at the end of May 2025 our new and improved playground opened! It immediately became a popular area for the children of the community and surrounding areas with many coming to enjoy the new trim trail. monkey bars, roll over bars and up and over frame. We hope to look at future fundraising for something for teenagers such as a MUGA as due to the price of play area equipment we were not able to accommodate this in the current improvements.
Pond Improvements
On Saturday 8th June 2024 a team of volunteers led by Tom Dutson started work on the pond improvements. For a while, attempts to fix a leak in the pond havd been unsuccessful – we had looked into many options of what to do with the pond and over all feedback was to make the pond smaller, in order to keep the pond as a feature of the hall. Tom put forward plans to make the pond smaller, reline the smaller pond with clay and fill in the other half of the pond and turn that into a garden area for the hall which, in time could be used by hirers.
Work continued over a couple of weekends and overall, 200 tonne of rubble and soil was used to fill in the left hand side of the pond and work was started on relining the pond. Fencing was put up to separate the pond from the garden and to reestablish the public footpath which now goes behind the pond and a gate from the patio to the garden was installed. The new garden area was seeded and quickly turned into a beautiful grassy garden! Plants and trees were planted around the pond and along fence lines to add some colour. The garden was opened once established in April 2025. The initial pond improvements have made some changes with the bottom of the pond now being able to retain water. Future work will include relining the sides of the pond to allow a higher water level.
A special thanks to Tom Dutson the mastermind of the whole operation, Alice Cutting, Len and Maureen Pitman, Matthew White, Emma, Oliver, Evie and Joseph Moore who all volunteered to get this project started and finished in such a quick time! Thank you also to Agri Management Solutions (AMS) who kindly allowed the use of the digger and to Bullockhurst Farm for helping us move the soil.
In the future we aim to tidy up the pond area and look at relining the pond with an aim for it to hold a higher level of water.
In the future we aim to tidy up the pond area and look at relining the pond with an aim for it to hold a higher level of water.
A picture of the pond in March 2024, before improvements began.
Energy Improvements
In 2024 we underwent an audit to see how we can become even more energy efficient. From this audit a grant was obtained from Worcestershire County Council and all the lights were replaced with LED lights and destratification fans were fitted to help with airflow throughout the year.
We also identified that the our external doors had significant gaps between the door and the frames which allowed heat to escape therefore have had all doors serviced and new seals and new fittings which have resolved these issues and increased our energy efficiency.
We also identified that the our external doors had significant gaps between the door and the frames which allowed heat to escape therefore have had all doors serviced and new seals and new fittings which have resolved these issues and increased our energy efficiency.
Further Plans
*Roof monitoring - plans for the next 5-10 years for a replacement roof.
*Driveway improvements - sort pot holes, tidy up driveway - possibly re-gravel.
* Resurface the slope to the kitchen.
* Upgrade outdoor electrics for hirers - this has been completed in July 2025 - we now have a 16A RCD protected interlocked socket installed for those who need higher power.
*Patio regrouting and sealing - this has been completed in July 2025 and the patio is looking much better and brighter!
*Driveway improvements - sort pot holes, tidy up driveway - possibly re-gravel.
* Resurface the slope to the kitchen.
* Upgrade outdoor electrics for hirers - this has been completed in July 2025 - we now have a 16A RCD protected interlocked socket installed for those who need higher power.
*Patio regrouting and sealing - this has been completed in July 2025 and the patio is looking much better and brighter!