Hall Refurbishment Fund
Tax deductible
Ridgewood village sits on the south of the Town of Uckfield in the South East of England. Nestled equidistantly between the seaside towns of Eastbourne and Brighton about (15 miles) and approximately 6 miles from the Ashdown Forest. We are a friendly community orientated village which boasts the Ridgewood recreation ground and Millennium Green, an area of beautiful countryside and tree lined walkways along a chalk path of 100 acres The area used to be home to Wares Potteries, owned by Benjamin Wares which operated until 1963 producing tiles and other ceramic products. The name of the factory is commemorated in the nearby Wares Road and The Potteries. Walking around the Millennium Green a deep quarry can still be seen where clay was dug in the 19th and 20th centuries and brought by tram up to the workhouse in the top corner of what is now Wares Road. Here the clay was processed and fired into pottery. A fenced off picnic area makes it an ideal spot for families and children to nature watch birds and rabbits at play.
The Ridgewood Village hall is a vital community hub at the South of Uckfield sitting on the recreation ground and adjacent to Millennium Green and provides a base for community activities and plays host to community events.
First built in early 1980’s and officially opened in 1989 .It was originally built through local fundraising with summer fairs, barn dances Old Time Musical events and community fundraising.
At that time there was a population of approximately 2600 people in the Ridgewood Ward
Following its’ construction the hall began to be widely used by regular local groups; Dance schools, Table tennis, Mother and toddler groups and private hire for parties and other fundraisers like jumble sales, with the continuation of summer fairs, and the Ridgewood bonfire society.
By 2018 the hall is being used by a diverse range of local groups covering all ages in the community as you can see from our timetable; https://ridgewoodvillagehall.wixsite.com/uckfield/facilities-charges
Ridgewood Village Hall is a pivotal part of our community. Widely used for all ages and community groups and a registered charity with a strong management committee made up of local people, the hall goes from strength to strength; We are producing our own newsletter, we have successful Christmas fairs, Easter Egg hunts, summer fairs, afternoon bingo, quiz nights, live band nights and family friendly firework displays.
With the current population in excess of 3680 making up 24% of the Uckfield population, Ridgewood is a growing community. Another 1000 homes at Ridgewood Place are going to diverse and strengthen the Southern tip of Uckfield Town and we need the village hall to be brought into the 21st Century to provide all the facilities required for a part of a town that has modernised and grown substantially since the construction of the hall nearly 40 years ago.
In June 2018, Wealden District council passed plans for a refurbishment and extension of the village hall which will allow us to have:
* Full disabled and wheelchair access to and around the building offering access to patio areas, recreation ground and storage units.
* a new kitchen that can serve refreshments to the new and improved recreation ground during the summer months and is accessible without disturbing the hall users.
* a meeting room (even the management committee are often forced to meet elsewhere as the hall is so busy)
* Extension to the hall as it is too short for the short mat bowls mats
* A multi -use room that could be used for table tennis or divided for changing rooms or to hire out for small groups, e.g. art classes
* a new floor sprung floor (this was second hand from the beginning and in desperate need of replacing.
* Replacement of the toilets which are antiquated and the plumbing a frequent problem .
* The disabled toilet will be brought inside the building as currently it is at the entrance which is only covered over not internalised. This has also been a problem with vandals as they can access the toilet when the hall is in use without being seen and we now have to have it permanently locked with a key held in the kitchen which is not ideal as it is also the baby changing area.
* storage space within the building for hirer use as currently it is all under the building
* Improved security.
* The Hall will also look more attractive with wooden cladding, bushes, trees and a terraced area with outdoor summer seating
All of this will allow the hall to diversify and work with other projects to provide access to existing outdoor spaces, providing a venue for active exercise e.g walking groups or a Wellness centre. To build on intergenerational activities and family activity groups and help reduce social isolation for our elderly and those with mental health challenges.
This is a very exciting time for Ridgewood Village Hall and the management committee are very serious about developing the hall and securing its future to make it fitting of the environment on which it stands.
But to do this we need your help. We need to raise in excess of £250,000 to bring this project together and with fundraising events and sponsorship we need to raise £100,000 to match our grant funding applications. Any donation large or small will help us bring together a project that will provide and develop the potential of a community hub for another 50 years and beyond.
Thankyou – Karen Bedwell – Chair RVH Management Committee
The Ridgewood Village hall is a vital community hub at the South of Uckfield sitting on the recreation ground and adjacent to Millennium Green and provides a base for community activities and plays host to community events.
First built in early 1980’s and officially opened in 1989 .It was originally built through local fundraising with summer fairs, barn dances Old Time Musical events and community fundraising.
At that time there was a population of approximately 2600 people in the Ridgewood Ward
Following its’ construction the hall began to be widely used by regular local groups; Dance schools, Table tennis, Mother and toddler groups and private hire for parties and other fundraisers like jumble sales, with the continuation of summer fairs, and the Ridgewood bonfire society.
By 2018 the hall is being used by a diverse range of local groups covering all ages in the community as you can see from our timetable; https://ridgewoodvillagehall.wixsite.com/uckfield/facilities-charges
Ridgewood Village Hall is a pivotal part of our community. Widely used for all ages and community groups and a registered charity with a strong management committee made up of local people, the hall goes from strength to strength; We are producing our own newsletter, we have successful Christmas fairs, Easter Egg hunts, summer fairs, afternoon bingo, quiz nights, live band nights and family friendly firework displays.
With the current population in excess of 3680 making up 24% of the Uckfield population, Ridgewood is a growing community. Another 1000 homes at Ridgewood Place are going to diverse and strengthen the Southern tip of Uckfield Town and we need the village hall to be brought into the 21st Century to provide all the facilities required for a part of a town that has modernised and grown substantially since the construction of the hall nearly 40 years ago.
In June 2018, Wealden District council passed plans for a refurbishment and extension of the village hall which will allow us to have:
* Full disabled and wheelchair access to and around the building offering access to patio areas, recreation ground and storage units.
* a new kitchen that can serve refreshments to the new and improved recreation ground during the summer months and is accessible without disturbing the hall users.
* a meeting room (even the management committee are often forced to meet elsewhere as the hall is so busy)
* Extension to the hall as it is too short for the short mat bowls mats
* A multi -use room that could be used for table tennis or divided for changing rooms or to hire out for small groups, e.g. art classes
* a new floor sprung floor (this was second hand from the beginning and in desperate need of replacing.
* Replacement of the toilets which are antiquated and the plumbing a frequent problem .
* The disabled toilet will be brought inside the building as currently it is at the entrance which is only covered over not internalised. This has also been a problem with vandals as they can access the toilet when the hall is in use without being seen and we now have to have it permanently locked with a key held in the kitchen which is not ideal as it is also the baby changing area.
* storage space within the building for hirer use as currently it is all under the building
* Improved security.
* The Hall will also look more attractive with wooden cladding, bushes, trees and a terraced area with outdoor summer seating
All of this will allow the hall to diversify and work with other projects to provide access to existing outdoor spaces, providing a venue for active exercise e.g walking groups or a Wellness centre. To build on intergenerational activities and family activity groups and help reduce social isolation for our elderly and those with mental health challenges.
This is a very exciting time for Ridgewood Village Hall and the management committee are very serious about developing the hall and securing its future to make it fitting of the environment on which it stands.
But to do this we need your help. We need to raise in excess of £250,000 to bring this project together and with fundraising events and sponsorship we need to raise £100,000 to match our grant funding applications. Any donation large or small will help us bring together a project that will provide and develop the potential of a community hub for another 50 years and beyond.
Thankyou – Karen Bedwell – Chair RVH Management Committee
Organizer
Ridgewood Hall
Organizer
England
THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL COMMITTEE
Registered nonprofit
Donations eligible for Gift Aid.
