This page contains the chairperson's report given at the dated AGM
Chair’s Annual Report (covering the period May2025 to April 2026)
Monday 18th May 2026
In our village with so few facilities, no shop, no pub or no school, the Village Hall plays an essential role in our community. So much happens on a weekly basis from village clubs to regular classes. During the year the hall has hosted History Club, Hilltops group, Crafternoon club, Lunch Club, Country Dance, Art classes, Yoga, and Pilates. Some of these clubs have sadly stopped for a variety of reasons and we are always looking to find new clubs for the benefit of the village.
The Village Hall committee arrange events throughout the year. This year we continued to run our Afternoon Teas. These were well attended and a team of volunteers produced wonderful teas of sandwiches, scones, sausage rolls and cakes all washed down with bottomless tea or coffee. The cryptic quizzes were puzzled over and prizes won and a selection of games or even a round of bingo was on offer for those who wished. This year we introduced a Prosecco Afternoon Tea on a Saturday to encourage those who have work commitments during the week to join us. This was a great success.
The Wickham Skeith Green became the venue for our popular village fete in June. We are so proud of this traditional family event, and much thanks must go to Katie Durrant and her team of volunteers, especially Mark Little and Jos Bryant for the success of the event. Money raised is used to help support the upkeep of the village Hall. However, it was decided that we should take a break from the fete year and on 20th June we will be running a “Games on the Green” instead, with a small beer festival and a decorated wheeled vehicle competition.
We returned to the Green in September for the fourth successful ‘Music on the Green’ event, which was organised by Steve McKie and a band of volunteers. Thanks to our ever-increasing number of talented performers, an afternoon with BBQ, Bar and Music was enjoyed by all, under the best of British sunshine. We were very grateful to the team of helpers who helped erect the multiple marquees needed for this event.
Many thanks again to Martina and her family and friends who organised our amazing Halloween Pub Night. It was a great family event as whole families dressed to impress and enjoyed a variety of scary games and disco. However, we will take a break from Halloween next year and organise a different event in October.
In November Nigel Merriam’s popular annual Quiz night drew many quizzers. The bar was open and we served an impressive cold platter. The night was a buzz of chat and laughter. Thanks Nigel.
Christmas celebrations of all kinds sparkled in the hall due to our new Christmas lights and as usual the Plum Pudding Walk took a large group of walkers and their dogs around the lanes and tracks of the village and surrounds. Afterwards soup and bread were appreciated by all. Thanks must go to Simon for organising the walk this year.
In February we held our first Pig racing Pub night, and this was a huge success as many excited villagers cheered on their adorable waddling pig as it raced down the track. Thanks go to Paul and Michelle for organising this event and to Simon for making the track. There will be more of these nights in future.
In March our popular curry night was so well attended that we had to close bookings. The delicious curries, all home made by our village cooks, were well appreciated. The night was huge fun with a curry-based quiz, suitable lighting, music and decorations and an ice cream dessert. Our online booking system was very well received and continued to provide a huge advantage to our cooks, and we will be using it in future for other events.
The village newsletter, paid in the main from village hall funds, continues to keep us informed and we are grateful to Melinda Appleby for her work compiling it each month.
Thanks to the Parish Council for agreeing to CIL money being used to buy a container for the village hall which is providing much needed storage space.
Through the Living Well in Winter award from the Mid Suffolk Council, we have run several Afternoon tea events which have proved popular and support St Andrew’s Church run the Christmas pudding stir up and the Mother’s Day service. We have subsidised the Village Lunch Christmas dinner and we will soon pay for an evening of art in the hall. We have purchased storage facilities for the new Container and a darts board and equipment for our pub nights.
Repair and maintenance of the building is ongoing. Thanks go to Dave Challinor who does such a good job in overseeing the fabric of the hall. Among many of the jobs he has done this year he has managed the replacements of the oak reflective post in front of the hall donated in memory of Andrew McKie. He has overseen the regular checks of our fire safety provisions and electrical checks. He has fixed the potential trip hazard in our floor and many other essential repair and management job.
Thanks to Rosemarie Hayne for her wonderful efforts in managing our finances as she carries out her role as treasurer. On top of this role for the last few years she has taken on the role of Bookings secretary, an important and essential part of our committee.
Thanks to Peter Davidson and his committee, for managing the 59 Club which at present has 56 members. This provides a very valuable income stream to help support our hall. With the ever-increasing costs of insurances (recently paid £1562) and fire protection and Licences etc we need to continue our efforts.
The bar plays a significant role in the village hall both socially and economically. We continue to be grateful to Kevin Knights for his role as Licensee for the bar.
The Village Hall Committee is made up of Jenny Elphick (Chair), Rosemarie Hayne (Treasurer), Will Elphick (Secretary), Dave Challinor (Buildings Manager), Avril Dance, Darren Noller, Paul Latham, Michelle Macey, and Mark Little .Thank you to everyone on the committee, who offer their time and energy so that we can maintain our wonderful village Hall. I am extremely grateful to all of you who have played such an enormous role this year.
