AVH Newsletter June 2021

AVH News ISSUE 28 • JULY 2021

One of the last remaining Carnegie halls in Ireland

What’s Happening in the Hall?

The hall remained closed for a number of months. Apart from AgeNI who were allowed to continue, under Covid regulations everyone else had to stay away.

A reopening happened on 24th May. First back was Jeanne Cree Ballet on 27th May, followed by Aghalee Taekwondo on 3rd June and then by Wag & Bone Dog Training on 23rd June.

Other regular clubs and classes will restart in September.

Planning for a programme of workshops and courses.

Planned for 2021/22 from September (funding permitting) is a series of workshops and classes/courses loosely based on the Arts. If all goes according to plan we will be hosting the following: Jewellery making for all ages and abilities; Clay and pottery work for all ages and abilities; Wet & Dry felting; Junk Art workshops; Traditional sewing skills workshops for beginners and more advanced; Circus skills for able bodied and special needs; Dance for 60+ and modern adult dance; Woodworking – learning basic skills, advanced classes and creation of a wooden spoon workshop; Photography; Local history; Story Telling aimed at children, parents and grandparents and for the elderly and those with dementia; Mosaic work; Willow work; Printmaking; and Children’s seasonal crafts.

We are still seeking a photographer tutor, a Local historian and someone who can upcycle. We feel this is a wide and varied range of activities from which we can offer good quality tutoring to you and from which you will achieve a real range of skills and expertise, perhaps also learning how talented some of you will be at the different activities.

Model Railway Exhibition 31st July....p3 Christmas 2020.........p4 Covid Giveaways........p5 Montiaghs Boardwalk..p8 Aghalee Landscape is Changing............ p10 Grants 2021............ p15 …and much more!

Aghalee Village Hall News - July 2021

Hall Maintenance Maintenance completed – car park drainage and the side fence.

March 21, 2021. Well finally the car park drainage problem has been sorted out - and it’s only taken since 2010 to do this! It has taken this long to save up the funds and to obtain support funding from The Foyle Foundation and from The CoOp Community Fund. This week South West Antrim Construction laid new pipe-work to drain into the approved DfI/Rivers Agency systems.

We had hoped to carry out this work during the Village Renewal works which have temporarily been put on hold due to the pandemic, but decided to go ahead with it while the hall was closed.

In another month, once everything has settled, the tracks will be tarred over and then we will see about making other essential repairs to the surface, so if you are in the car park area before this additional work is carried out, please take care as the surface is uneven in places.

We have also replaced the rickety and unstable fence on the left hand side. It’s now looking a lot smarter and improves the look of the hall.

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Aghalee Village Hall News - July 2021

Christmas at Aghalee We thought it might not happen, but it did. Despite everything, Christmas at Aghalee was a great success.

We reviewed and planned and decided to host Christmas with a booking system in place to ensure everyone’s safety. We had lots of volunteers who played the parts of elves and helpers for Santa and over the space of three days we gave gifts out to an incredible 180 children! It was a huge undertaking to manage Christmas in this way but it worked very well and meant that the children of Aghalee and the surrounding area got to see Santa in his grotto.

A MASSIVE thank you to everyone who helped to make it such a success.

Marty & Mervyn Christmas Lights Marty & Mervyn Ross decorated their house with Christmas lights as always, in aid of the Premature Baby Unit in the Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast. They did an amazing job and the grand total was a very impressive £13,350. Thank you to everyone who came out and saw the lights and donated.

Ice and Snow

The temperature on December 20 was -5 and by Feb we had experienced ice, snow, gale force winds and floods!

By mid May we were still experiencing heavy frosts at night and beautiful but sometimes very cold days.

Covid Giveaways, On-Line Courses and Workshops – with LCCC help A grant opportunity came up between Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council and Aghalee Village Hall. Fiona and Pauline devised a programme for this and we applied for funding based on this with AVH putting some of the remaining Covid funding towards it. The Council was awarding grants for online classes and other activities in an alternative way and they also wished to say thank you to everyone who volunteered during the pandemic.

Thanks to LCCC many of our local residents enjoyed the following courses, workshops and giveaways:

Online Courses – ALL FREE • Wellbeing – on line recorded or Zoom.

• Cookery – Children – workshops of pre-recorded cookery lessons to be put on-line.

• Yoga – to be put on-line.

• Watercolour painting – Adult – workshops - on-line.

Activities - FREE • Craft – Adult – Door Wreath making kit to be given out to 30 people • Gardening – Adult – Growing sweet pea in a large pot – all equipment given to 30 people.

Other items - FREE • Senior packs – various bits and pieces – safety equipment, sweet items and treats, seeds and quiz sheets and colouring pencils and mindful colouring sheets. Up to 100 (age 70+ local area only) • Children packs – crafty bits and pieces – instructions how to make all sorts of things plus all the equipment to achieve this. Up to 100 (age primary local area only) • Additional Equipment for AVH - Gazebos and gas heaters to help with outdoor activities • Thank you pamper packs - for those volunteers who have shone during the crisis and have stayed with the Hub and continue to work with the committee.

• Thank you branded items - to give out to those volunteers who have not availed of the Thank you meal or the packs above. These items offered as a small acknowledgement of thanks for support offered.

Travel mugs, notebooks and pens.

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Aghalee Village Hall News - July 2021

AGM

The AGM relating to the year ending 31/12/20 was held on Wednesday 16th June in the Village Hall. The Chairman, Lewis Trevithick was unable to attend so Vice-Chairman Matt Hull chaired the meeting.

Councillor Thomas Beckett attended as did Victoria Jackson, Community Development Officer with Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, members of the committee and the public.

The AGM paperwork from 2019, relating to y/e 2018 was completed and adopted. There had been no AGM in 2020 relating to y/e 2019, due to the Covid pandemic but all paperwork from those years has now been lodged with the Charity Commission NI. This AGM related to activities during 2020.

This year we are hiring in some support for the committee and Sally Crawford is starting in June for a trial basis to provide administrative and secretarial support.

Covid Vaccination Centre is retiring this year. Ken has been a much loved and valuable member of the Committee since 1995, which makes it a total of 25 years up to the end of 2020.

Initially he represented Junior Badminton club and then later as a Public Representative.

He has also been part of the Maintenance Committee and has kept the weeds around the hall in check for many years.

We would like to publicly thank him and acknowledge his commitment to the hall, along with all the work he has carried out over the years and we hope he enjoys his retirement.

Councillor Beckett wished the incoming Committee well for the incoming year. He noted the admirable work that had been carried on by the committee and other volunteers throughout 2020 and acknowledged the excellent use of the Village Hall across all the local areas and Food-bank during the COVID pandemic.

The new committee was elected and is listed on the back page. See the accounts and reports on our website at ahaleevillagehall.org.uk.

A special word of thanks was said about Ken Greer who

Accounts

These can be found on-line on our web page – www.aghaleevillagehall.org.uk.

The financial year is to 31st December 2020 and in accordance with current charity legislation an independent examination has been undertaken with a clean report issued

by Daly Park & Company Ltd. • Income for the year increased on the previous year to £45,815 (2019 - £42,764). The main reason for this increase was the additional donations received in relation to the Covid programme which began in March 2020, these donations totalled almost £15,000. LCCC continued their valuable support of the charity in 2020 with combined grants of over £6,930. Donations were also received this year from The Prince’s Countryside Foundation, Money Saving Expert, PCSP Lisburn, Apex, Lottery Awards For All and the Bank of Ireland Together Grant, these donations were extremely appreciated and have gone a long way to helping support the community during a difficult year. Income generated from the hall rents decreased this year by over £9,000 on last year as the hall was unable to open due to Covid restrictions.

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• Our thanks to everyone who has contributed, volunteered and helped us through the Covid pandemic and helped maintain our activities and our income in 2020.

• Expenditure (excluding depreciation) for the year has also increased, to £37,609, (2019 - £30,800) • Direct costs on the provision of the hall / activities stayed in line with the level of income received and totalled £33,503 or 89% (Cleaning wages, Tutor fees, rates, insurance, Light & heat, repairs, programme costs & subscriptions).

• Admin costs made up the remainder of £4,106 (11%) – general admin exps, bank fees, professional fees and are down 7% from 2019.

• Surplus for the year of £8,245 (excluding depreciation) as there is still approx £9,200 of grant income received that crossed over and will be spent in 2021.

The Charity continues to be in a very strong and secure financial position for the next twelve months and it should be emphasised that 89% ratio of spend on direct project costs is excellent value for money and a significant increase on 2019 figures (82%) and should emphasise to everyone the valuable work carried out on behalf of our local community.

We are delighted to have been able to facilitate Aghalee Surgery in the administration of Covid-19 vaccinations. The hall was used, for a short time, as a vaccination centre by healthcare professionals.

AVH meetings

During 2020 all our meetings have been carried out by methods other than face-to-face, mostly online by email with just one meeting in person. From May 21 meetings will be held in person, regulations permitting.

Fundraising

Income reduced by £9,000 over the 2020 period with no rental money coming in for over 12 months now.

This past year has been difficult for everyone, not least for community based organisations. Aghalee Village Hall is run by volunteers and relies on grants and donations to stay running. If you can spare any amount to help keep our hall running, we would be extremely grateful.

www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ fiona-maree

Courses Starting in September

Southern Regional College hosting Hobby Art course on Mondays from 13th September to 29th November, times 10.15am - 12.15pm. Contact the College to register or watch our social media page for date to enrol.

Book Club

The Book Club continues as a ‘Virtual’ group online.

See the latest selection on the AVH facebook page.

From January to June we have been reading: • The Man With No Face Peter May • Those Who Save Us – Jenna Blum • Actress – Anne Enright • Big Girl Small Town – Michelle Galler • The Heart’s Invisible Furies – John Boyne

• The Midnight Library – Matt Haig • A Bicycle Built For Sue – Daisy Tate • Dear Edward – Ann Napolitano • Rebel Ideas – Matthew Syed • Hamnet – Maggie O’Farrell • The Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro

AVH Upholstery class is running on Thursdays from 9th September from 9.30am until 12.30pm and running for 12 weeks, with a one-week break for Halloween. To register emailaghalee.vhall@btinternet.com.

Southern Regional College Upholstery will run from Friday 17th September to 10th December for 12 weeks.

Times 10.00am to 12.00pm, 12.30pm - 14.30pm and 14.30pm to 16.30pm.

Contact the College to register or watch our social media page for date to enrol.

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Aghalee Village Hall News - July 2021

RSPB

Towpath

February 18, 2021.

Sadly, we need to highlight some acts of vandalism in our lovely village. Not only has one of the benches on the towpath been completely burned to the ground, but graffiti appeared on the old cottage at the Broadwater. A resident kindly painted over it. Vandalism like this gives our village a bad name and, when we apply for grants to improve facilities, it lessens our chances of being awarded funds.

New boardwalk at Montaighs Moss Nature Reserve ‘good news for the community’

A planning application which – if approved – will see a 500 -metre boardwalk introduced at Montiaghs Moss Nature Reserve in Aghagallon.

The application, which has been recently submitted by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) for Council to consider, has been welcomed by two Alliance representatives in the area.

The application, which is situated off the Montaighs Road near the village of Aghagallon, will also include a new car park for 10 vehicles.

Commenting on the application, Alliance Councillor Peter Lavery said: “This application will be good news for the local community and increase awareness of the conservation efforts that go on in Montaighs Moss.

“Many local residents of the Aghagallon area walk the rural roads around the nature reserve, with numbers increasing during lockdown, therefore the addition of a boardwalk will give an opportunity for the local community to get an up close look at many of the wildlife species that inhabit the site.

“Having spoken to RSPB they are hoping to complete the infrastructure works fairly quickly if planning permission

is granted so hopefully the project will be in place by the end of 2021.”

Please, please talk to your children, teenagers, young adults and family members about how important it is to respect our community and surroundings. Let’s all be proud of where we live.

Party colleague, Councillor Eóin Tennyson, added: “As a society we need to do more to protect and conserve natural habitats. The number of species has decreased over the years so it is vital that we all work together to help them recover.

Village Renewal Phase II (Part A - traffic calming) of the Village renewal plan is proving quite difficult to achieve, with some difficulties between DfI, Planning and Consultants due to the position and sight lines of the roads in and around the village.

It is hoped all differences can be ironed out and plans realised before winter 2021. In the meantime it is planned that Phase II part B, the replacement of the Village Hall front wall, will be carried out over the summer months. The wall will be removed and the ground work carried out to provide beds for a hedge and trees along with some estate fencing to match that at the surgery. The ball-stop fence will be pulled back a little and the gates repaired, sandblasted and repainted.

Once complete, we should be in a position to finalise the resurfacing of the car park ourselves.

“Projects such as this help to educate younger generations about the importance of conservation and breadth and variety of wildlife that exists on their doorstep.”

Community planting

In spring we bought the plants and planted out with help from the local community, the beds at Millennium Gardens and Coronation Gardens. The Council had not been able to carry this work out due to the Covid pandemic.

The resultant displays were wonderful to see and we took out the Spring plants at the end of May for growing on over summer and reuse next year. Thank you to everyone who continues to help out with these jobs.

BLUEWAYS PROGRAMME Lagan Navigation Trust/Waterways Community and other interested agencies have established a development group to take forward the application and planning for the proposed Lagan Valley Blueway and the aim is to prepare and submit an initial application before the 31 March deadline.

If accepted, it moves into a planning process which takes around 2 years. Funding will be applied for once it’s decided what needs to be done, however there is a Blueways and Greenways fund via DFI. The Blueway is what was previously referred to as

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the waterways between Belfast and other areas in the whole of Ireland.

At this stage what they are asking from us and other community groups is whether we feel applying for Blueways is a good idea and whether we are broadly supportive of the aims. AVH has agreed to be part of the Development Group to feed in ideas about the types of facilities we think would be of most value to our area, and to encourage support for the activities. Some of the areas discussed included a café/area in Aghalee where visitors could stop to eat; or a place to rent bicycles; setting up clubs to take advantage of the water etc.

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Aghalee Village Hall News - July 2021

Aghalee Landscape is Changing Aghalee Mace - New Owners and Changes to Centra!

Mace Aghalee changed ownership on Tuesday 2 March 2021.

‘After 15 years owning Mace Aghalee, Elaine and I have agreed to sell the store to David and Katrina Sinnamon on Tuesday 2 March 2021 with the Mace store converting to a Centra. David and Katrina are experienced retailers and in the medium term, have plans to enlarge, refurbish, and generally make this already very good store into an outstanding place to shop for Aghalee and the surrounding villages.

Both Elaine and I wish David and Katrina every success in their journey and truly envisage a special result. To facilitate the handover, the store closed at 6pm on Monday 1 March and reopened at 6.30am on Tuesday 2 March.

Aghalee Building Supplies, originally John Green’s Store & Post Office End of March 2021 - The Aghalee landscape is changing once again. Today saw the demolition of Ronnie Moore’s old shop.

Prior to that was the demolition of Stokes garage and the building of the new houses.

We’re all excited to see what will go on the new space at Aghalee Building Supplies.

Commented on the Village Hall facebook page from an ex resident now living in France said ‘Have just seen your post on Ronnie Moore’s demolition. Talk about memories; when it was Jack Green’s General Merchants, the petrol pump was to the left of the front door, the biscuits were

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Elaine and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our customers for their continued support over the years and more importantly, their friendship. The villages of Aghalee, Aghagallon, Ballinderry and the surrounding areas are, without question, incredible places to live with genuine people who care about each other. In addition to this, I would like to thank all of our superb staff, past and present, for making Mace Aghalee a unique place to shop. During my time in the store, there has hardly been a day that a customer has not complemented me on our amazing staff and the outstanding service that they have provided. Fortunately, all staff will remain in employment in the new Centra, providing the same level of customer care that you have grown to love.

As Elaine and I start our new journey we will never forget our time in Mace Aghalee. There have been numerous challenges, but during the full 15 years I cannot remember a single day that a customer or member of staff has not caused me to laugh or smile. You have all been incredible people and Monday will be a very sad day for Elaine and I, but in the short term we will still be living in the village and this will enable us to witness the transformation of the store with all of you. I am personally looking forward to seeing the next chapter in the life of the store and I have no hesitation in recommending that you come into the store and meet David and Katrina who are both truly lovely people.

Thanks to everyone of you, Elaine and Alan’

loose in tins and the nails came in brown paper cones. Am I old or what?’

‘Eleanor had the flat above the shop looking lovely, she had real class! Out sweeping the area outside the shop door in a pencil skirt and sometimes stiletto heels!

Ronnie and his racehorses and his beige suit, most of our house renovation materials came from that yard, fond memories!’

‘Eleanor was fab - she used to dress beautifully and I remember seeing her out, sweeping the yard wearing the most beautiful dress and a pair of Ronnie’s farmers boots on her feet! I wonder if she is still alive?’

Prompted by this, there has been some chat about the possibility of holding a family/local history course, with an open day at the end displaying as many old photos of the area as we can get hold of. Watch this space!

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Aghalee Village Hall News - July 2021

Aghalee Parish Heritage Project Has Secured National Lottery support.

Promoting Our Heritage

Website and Digital Archive

As well as the capital restoration work to the church building, Aghalee Parish Heritage Project also aims to document and inform people about all aspects of parish heritage and, in particular, the unique correlation between the church, the Lagan Navigation and hamlet of Soldierstown.

Through the development of a website and digital archive, the project aims to:

Through this project, it is planned to: • Research and document heritage of our Church and its relationship to the Lagan Navigation and the hamlet of Soldierstown.

• Document historic church artefacts including stainedglass windows, church organ, monuments, memorials, fabrics and fittings.

• Engage people in heritage through a five-year education programme of open days, activities and events which showcase our heritage to a wider, more diverse audience.

Anyone who has travelled along the Soldierstown Road recently may have noticed some scaffolding erected around Holy Trinity Church (Soldierstown) – a sign that it is undergoing some major restoration work. The building, which dates from 1667, is being repaired and restored as part of a wider heritage project.

Aghalee Parish are delighted to have been awarded a grant of £185,400.00 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for this exciting and informative heritage project.

Made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, the project focuses on promoting the heritage of Aghalee Parish and its close links with the hamlet of Soldierstown and the Lagan Navigation at the Broadwater.

As well as the capital restoration work to the historic church building, the project will also - provide a parish website housing a digital archive of heritage information; install information panels and produce information leaflets and a book, about parish heritage; host a 5-year program of heritage events including history talks, concerts and social activities… and more. The estimated total cost of the project will be ~ £275,000.

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Capital Building / Restoration Work Restoration work to the church building will repair damage caused primarily by untreated long-term dampness and will prevent any further ongoing deterioration to the building.

Repairs will involve removing all of the internal and external wall render and replacing it with an improved lime mortar; and also some remedial stitching to cracks in the chancel walls. Interior work will include the refurbishment of the floor, and a partial re-wiring of the church. Also, a French Drain will be installed to improve drainage around the church.

The architect overseeing the project is Stephen Leighton (Leighton Johnston Associates, Moira); who has many years experience of the maintenance and restoration of historic church buildings throughout the province.

The contractor carrying out the work is J.S. Dunlop Construction Ltd. (Ballymoney); who similarly have a wealth of experience in restoring churches and other historic buildings. It is a family firm, established by John Dunlop in 1969 and now managed by his son, Wallace Dunlop, who has been involved with the company since 1986.

The restoration work commenced in January and, Covid-19 restrictions permitting, will probably take 9-10 months to complete; during which time all services are being held in the church hall.

• Produce three relevant heritage information leaflets about (i) Holy Trinity Church, (ii) Soldierstown and (iii) the Lagan Navigation.

• Produce a more detailed booklet containing information about the history and heritage of the parish area.

• Erect a series of strategically located heritage information boards.

• Establish digital links and collaborative working arrangements with Lagan Navigational Trust other local heritage groups.

• Transcribe original parish registers of baptisms, marriages, burials and other important historic documents into digital format.

• Create digital copies of historic pictures and stories and personal accounts relating to social and industrial heritage of the parish area.

• Enable better public access to archive material for genealogy research etc.

Rev Paul McAdam, the rector of Aghalee Parish, said: ‘As a parish, we are delighted to be launching this exciting new project, which we hope will enthuse and engage people in the heritage of our church and the surrounding parish area. We are immensely grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for supporting this project – and for making the entire venture possible.’

Paul Mullan, Director, Northern Ireland, The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “Thanks to National Lottery Players, we are delighted to award Aghalee Parish with a grant that not only carries out urgent repairs, but will also improve access and welcome new visitors, so that this important heritage will resonate with the community and beyond for years to come.”

For further information contact: Aghalee Parish Heritage Project e-mail: aghaleeparish@outlook.com Phone: (028) 92090989 or follow us on facebook @AghaleeParishHeritage

About The National Lottery Heritage Fund Using money raised by the National Lottery, we Inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future. www.heritagefund.org.uk.

Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund

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Aghalee Village Hall News - July 2021

Covid Hub Update and Thanks On 31st March 2021 the temporary, emergency foodbank based at Aghalee closed. There were only a few families still needing help and they were transferred to the care of Moira foodbank along with the remaining food.

We were delighted to see that there is now a very definite plan for the longawaited Park & Ride facility at Moira Station.

The Covid Support Hub has now effectively been ‘stood down’, after 12 months of hard work supporting the local communities of Aghalee, Aghagallon and Ballinderry. A huge amount of thanks must go to those who masterminded the start of the hub – Gerald Colan o’leary, David Honeyford, John Hewitt and volunteers from Aghalee Village Hall, and to those who took it from there and co-ordinated everything: David Corbett, Martin Cavanagh, Mark Davidson, Sarah McCambridge, Fiona Maree, Tess Barker, Catherine McQuillan and Pauline Buller.

Covid Mitigation Measures at the Village Hall and Re-opening You will be aware we have been closed for normal business several times since the Covid pandemic stared in March 2020.

We hope to re-open to all normal activities, including private hire in September 2021 and to that end have put in place a number of measures to mitigate the transmission of Covid at the hall. Currently and according to regulations, we are allowed a maximum number in the main hall of 32 people if seated or 15 if moving around. The Paul Green Hall and Loft are each reduced to a maximum of 9 people seated, or 4 if moving around.

The safety measures will be updated as per current regulations in September and it is hoped we will then also be allowed to increase maximum numbers per room.

Measures in place include:

• Risk assessments for every activity • Safety protocols for every user • Signage advising the requirement to wear face coverings, social distance requirements, about attending activities if unwell, washing hands, sanitizing, one way system and temperature checking and track & track measures.

• Signage advising of reduced use in kitchen and bathrooms • One way system for entering and leaving the hall • Sanitizing stations at every entrance door • Paperwork to record names and contact numbers for every event • Covid equipment including thermometer, spare face coverings, cleaning materials and wipes for equipment • Floor markings to indicate 6’ spacing • Cleaning schedules for every user to adhere to after use of hall • Additional cleaning by hall staff between uses.

We would ask everyone who uses the hall or attends any activity to please adhere to the requirements which will be given to them through either the Activity Tutor or Organiser OR by our Booking Secretary. We all need to work together to keep each other safe when attending activities at the hall.

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Moira Park and Ride Update

Translink is proposing a Park and Ride facility including tarmacked parking area, landscaping, boundary fencing, CCTV and floodlighting (powered by solar panel array and associated battery storage building), cycle shelter building, storm water retention pond and the widening of Station Road to facilitate a right-hand turning lane into the site and footpath provision for pedestrian access to Moira Train Station at lands 65m north of the train station (between 4 and 4a Station Road and to the rear of 2 Station Road, Moira).

Read more at - www.translink.co.uk/moiraparkandride

Grants 2021

Co-operation Ireland (Covid equipment).................... £306.00 Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council COVID-19 Grant Aid, Connecting Communities and Volunteering Support Programme................ £5,234.00

Deaths of Local Residents This past year has been a very difficult one, not least for those who have lost loved ones. In the early weeks and months of the pandemic funerals were severely restricted, meaning that many family members and friends were unable to pay their respects in the usual and traditional way. We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to all those who have lost loved one. We hope that you will find comfort in the memories you have and that these memories will bring you joy and peace.

Lost and Found Animals

Between January and the end of May, through the Aghalee Village Hall Facebook page, we reported and reunited – 6 cats, 8 dogs (some several times!), 7 sheep and 1 horse! Nice to have some happy endings.

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council Community Service Grant......... £4,730.00 John Moores Foundation NI Core Costs............................ £5,000.00 Live Here Love Here plants for Autumn planting.......... £750.00 _____________________________________ Total to date........................£16,020.00 Huge thanks to all these agencies for their continuing support of Aghalee Village Hall.

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Aghalee Village Hall News - July 2021

The 2021 committee Officers

Chairman – Vice- Chairman – Treasurer – Secretary –

Lewis Trevithick Matthew Hull Christopher Buller Pauline Buller

User Group Reps Fiona Ryan Maree (Marketing)

and Kerry Quinn Aghalee Taekwondo Susan McCavigan

and Michael Beacham Wag & Bone Club Margaret Agnew

and Suzanne Cochrane Ballinderry Badminton Club Derek Blakely

and Bobbie Hamill Upholstery Anne Miskelly

and Alison Gawith Needlecraft Club Lynn O’Rourke

and Pat McAdams Art Club Lewis Trevithick (Chairman) Ballet Pauline Buller Book Club

Public Representatives Andrea Huff Chris Buller David Twigg Fernando Gutierrez Matt Hull Walter Robertson

(Treasurer) (Maintenance) (I.T.) (Vice Chair)

14 Group reps + 7 Public reps = Total 21 Management Committee + Age NI to be notified.

With specialised expertise from:

Booking Secretary Volunteer Ruth Macauley Child Protection Advisor Carol Redpath Maintenance Volunteer Karol Bialowas We would like to thank everyone who has worked tirelessly through the past number of very difficult months to keep the hall working. From the 120+ new volunteers who joined specifically to help with Covid-19 to the clubs and class tutors and the regular committee of volunteers who have kept things ticking over, funds coming in and the hall viable, always with a view to the future and how we can continue to be the central hub for the local community.

Aghalee Village Hall Clubs and Organisations Contacts 2021 AgeNI

WEDNESDAYS in the Main Hall – 10.00am – 3.00pm (Over 65) – Contact: Gillian Thompson Manager Contact: 07733 912 876 Gillian.Thompson@ageni.org

Aghalee Taekwondo Club

MONDAYS - in the Main Hall – 6.00pm – 8.00pm (Age 7+) THURSDAYS - in the Main Hall – 6.00pm – 8.00pm (Age 7+) Contact: Michael Beacham – 07548 885 114, or email Michaelb5717478@btinternet.com

Hobby Art

MONDAYS in Main Hall - 10.00am – 12.30pm.

Contact: Jim Cunningham 07711 981 732

Ballinderry Senior Badminton

Monday evenings and Thursday evenings 8-late.

Contact: Text or call Bobbie Hamill on 07919 123 027 or Derek Blakely on 07791 267 636.

Book Club

For now - Virtual book Club online.

Contact: Clare Ward 028 9265 0377

Jeanne Cree Ballet School

THURSDAYS & SATURDAYS in Main Hall - Children accepted from 3 years. Contact: Jeanne Cree 028 9265 2447

AVH Upholstery Classes

Thursday mornings – 9.30am – 12.30pm in the Main Hall.

Contact: June Acheson 028 9261 9177

Wag and Bone Club Dog Training

WEDNESDAY & FRIDAYS in the Main Hall – 7.00PM – 11.30pm Contact Margaret Agnew 028 9265 1107.

SRC Upholstery Classes

FRIDAYS in the Main Hall – See page 7 for details

Watch this space, notice-boards, website and Facebook page for details of seasonal short courses and classes.

To find e-copies of this newsletter or to contact Aghalee Village Hall: See our Website at www.aghaleevillagehall.org.uk www.issuu.com/aghaleevillagehall or please email: aghalee.vhall@btinternet.com Postal Address: 6 Lurgan Road, Aghalee, Craigavon, BT67 0DD. Secretary Pauline Buller 028 9265 1825

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aghaleevillagehall 16

Newsletter Edited by Fiona Maree and Pauline Buller, designed and produced by ru5k.com