Camber village voice

Here are some extracts. Terry Hovenden was re elected as the chairperson. The organisations that regularly use the hall weekly are, Monday Club, the craft class, Extend Club, the Mother and Toddler Club, the Nifty Fifties and Short Mat Bowls. Camber Parish Council, Camber Film Club and Camber Country use it once a month. The hall bookings are increasing, two weddings are booked during this summer and a ruby anniversary and wedding for next year. The increasing popularity of the hall for use as a venue may be linked with the refurbishment of the hall following the award of a lottery grant in 2011. The success rate for receiving grants was the cause of some envy among those present at the meeting and Terry and Vanessa Bowler were congratulated, their team approach with Terry gathering information and Vanessa doing the paper work is highly effective and successful. They have attracted £2145 for electrically operated window shutters and their instillation £254 from the Little Cheyne Court Community Fund, as well as £3964 for a central heating boiler and its instillation from the same fund. The other major award was £9650 from the Lottery Fund for hall refurbishment. Attracting all this funding could only be considered an amazing accomplishment. There are just two jobs outstanding, two walls up the staircase in the hall need re rendering and the concreting on the outside car park which will be completed by the end of June. Brett’s quarry donated 3 tons of ballast thanks to Daryl Stone. Thanks were given to Camber Parish Council for their £900 donation used towards the insurance of the hall and doctors surgery. Regretfully there is no financial donation from them this year. There was some concern about this from the floor as the Memorial Hall budget is tight. Ann Young the former chair of the council explained that this was to encourage the Memorial Hall Committee to become more self sufficient. She explained that if insufficient funds were available, the Council would be able to intervene, but as a back stop, the Parish Council continues to rent some of the halls rooms which makes a contribution to the income albeit reduced. This year all work on the hall has been carried out by local trades’ people in Camber and Rye, saving the necessity of obtaining tenders. It is interesting to note that the hall costs £206 per month to run. The hall committee is not resting on its laurels, they have their continuing plans for next year which include the sanding, repair and varnishing of the stage, the decoration of the doctor’s surgery, the repair and decoration of the lobby where the tables are stored, the replacement old cupboards with new ones and last but not least, an upgrade all the fuse boxes and electrics. Our hall committee must be congratulated on its drive and commitment; it seems to me that our hall is in very good hands.

Emma Lou’s Dance Troupe was in a competition and thanks to her gifted teaching won some significant awards. Congratulations to Abbey Ollier, 3rd place in the solo category, Robyn & Abbey Ollier, 2nd place and Jessica Morris & Lauren Henessey, 3rd place in the duet category, Jessica and Lauren, 3rd place in the modern duet category, Bethany & Robyn, 4th place in the duet category, Mollie Doherty, Courtney Gilden, and Maisie Lee, 3rd place in the trio category, Sophie Lomath & Sarah –Jayne Smith, 4th in the tap duet category, and last but not least, the Dance Troupe who were awarded 4th place. Very well done to all of the girls who have worked very hard to achieve these accolades.

The village fete raised just over £500 which will go towards the continuing provision of afternoon teas to Camber Senior Citz at the Camber Castle Pub later in the year.

Can I remind you about Dan Bevan our PCSO’s contact details? Ring him on 07996 195 639, leave a message if necessary. His email is [email protected]

Please let me have any items of good news, through my letterbox or by email. [email protected]

Larri Hayhurst, 18b Denham Way