Welcome

Following our selection last year of GA Harper Ltd as our preferred contractor, Trustees are now very close to agreeing the build contract, following months of work on the Pre Construction Services Agreement.

There was considerable interest in the sale of the existing hall site and Trustees are pleased to have accepted a good offer for the site. We are continuing to work through all the legal requirements, with sale completion now expected soon.

Over the summer we received the approvals from the Charity Commission that were needed to allow the proceeds of the hall sale to be used to help finance the building of the new hall. Various amendments were needed to our constitution and these were approved at a General Meeting held on 10^th August at the Castle Hotel.

We had hoped to have sufficient funding in place to enable us to make a start on the construction of the new hall this year.  However, it has become clear that without additional support from Eynsford Parish Council, funded by a loan from the Public Works Lending Board, there would be insufficient funding to complete the project. A public consultation on the loan is currently underway (see  Consultation – Funding for New Village Hall Project | Eynsford Parish Council).  Prudence requires the Trustees to wait until after the Parish Council have confirmed that they will apply for the Public Works Loan before signing the building contract, but we hope that construction will be able to start in the new year.

It has taken years of work by Trustees and many others across our community to reach this stage. Now we are within touching distance of making the long-held vision of building a new village hall for Eynsford a reality, helped by the generosity of all those who have made donations to the project, organised or attended fund-raising events, or agreed to provide interest-free loans to ensure we don’t face cashflow difficulties during the construction period.

We very much hope that villagers will feel able to support this important step by the Parish Council, helping us create a lasting asset that will benefit both current and future generations.

Lottery

The lottery has been running for several years and continues to be popular. Total prize money now over £39,000. The proceeds are divided between prizes and the hall rebuild fund. There is a bumper draw twice each year. Joining the lottery is simple – just complete this request.  A lottery ticket can make a nice present and a gift certificate can be provided.

For Sale

For sale – Eynsford Village Hall, The Heart of Village Life 1905-2005 by William G G Alexander at £5 each.

Written to mark the centenary of the Hall, William’s book records one hundred years of development and activity at the venue he regarded as the centre of village life. From hall building thanks to the generosity of Elliot Downs Till, its acquisition by Lady Emily Hart Dyke and vesting in trustees, its many events run by so many organisations, the addition of facilities such as a kitchen and millennium porch – this is a must read to appreciate village life in Eynsford through the twentieth century. Beautifully illustrated with photographs of the era, 72 pages.

Please order your copy via the contact page . The Hall trustees are grateful to the Executors of William’s estate for making the remaining stock available. 

William Alexander

William Alexander was born in Eynsford and farmed in the Darent Valley.

He was Chairman of the Hall trustees for 24 years until 2001 and organised many fund raising events.  He was awarded the OBE in 1984 for services nationally to agriculture.

He was also the author of ‘A Farming Century’ – an agricultural history of the Darent Valley.

Chairman’s Report

Click here for the latest chairman’s report.

Annual Accounts

Click here for the Hall’s 2023 accounts

Personal Data

Eynsford Village Hall uses personal data for the purposes of managing the hall, its bookings and finances, running and marketing events at the hall, staff employment and its fundraising activities. Data may be retained for up to seven years for accounts purposes and for longer where required by the hall’s insurers.  If you would like to find out more about how we use your personal data or want to see a copy of information about you that we hold, please contact the hall Secretary via the website contact form.