School & Community Project progress
Project Management. We have had a very busy August and September due mainly to the inability of the Customs and Excise to give a definitive answer on the extent of the VAT which the project will attract, despite being in discussion with them since March. We now have a clear strategy on the matter but it has entailed much detailed work recasting several times the design and material costs of the project. I am confident of our strategy (and I am certainly hoping we can make a better job of managing our project than those responsible for the new Scottish Parliament!).
Contractor. We have selected our contractor, Laishleys, from our shortlist of five. They are a family owned business based in Chandlers Ford and are highly regarded by the education department of Hampshire County Council as a result of the excellent schools they have built recently. The construction of schools is a major part of their business. They will start on site on 4 th October and will finish, given reasonable weather, in time for the new school year in 2005.
Thanks to Parents. A big ‘thank you' is due to school and playgroup parents for their cooperation with the new parking guidelines now that there are restrictions on access to the school site.
Fundraising
Please Support the General Appeal!
At the time of writing, the total displayed on THE FISH in front of the school is about to be raised to £114,000. This is a splendid figure. Our target is £186,000.
I am very grateful for the donations now coming from the general appeal to Hurstbourne Priors and Tufton, particularly as it is only the improvement in the school and playgroup which is of relevance to them, given that they have their own village hall. I am pleased also to report that we have received our first international donation. An American lady whose grandmother lived in Longparish in the 1920s has kindly sent a cheque for our project.
Many thanks to everyone who has already made individual donations. I hope those of you who are thinking about it will do so, however large or small, to get THE FISH covered in scales as fast as we can. I do of course appreciate that so many people have helped with the project in time, effort, contributions and other ways, especially through the many events and activities we are running – thank you all.
John Ellicock
Forthcoming fundraising events
for the School & Community Project
SUNDAY, 17TH OCTOBER, 2004
6.30 for 7pm
in marquee at Newton Field, Longparish (opposite village shop)
HOG ROAST
kindly provided by the Plough Inn, Longparish.
BYO drinks and crockery.
TICKETS £5.00 PER PERSON
OR £50.00 PER TABLE OF TEN.
available from
Patricia Taylor, tel. 01264 324466
or Helen Mehaffey tel. 01256 893119
Please note we can still accept offers of promises. Anything at all you can offer from objets d'art to dart lessons will be very gratefully accepted.
Please contact Pat Taylor on 01264 324466 or patricia.taylor@ntlworld.com with details of your lot
A WINE TASTING EVENING
TUTORED BY NICK SWEET OF BOULOGNE ,
on 13TH NOVEMBER 2004
at Forton House
the home of Mr. & Mrs. Hanbury-Bateman
TICKETS, which are strictly limited, are
£20.00 PER PERSON.
EARLY BOOKING ESSENTIAL.
Please apply to Tim Sweet 01264 720550.
Dinner & Dance Evening
Mark and Fenella Williams are hosting a black tie St. Andrew's Dinner & Dance Evening with Scottish Reels in St Mary Bourne Village Hall on October 23 rd at 7.15pm in aid of the Project. Please see details on the Hurstbourne Priors pages.
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Football
coaching
has now started on Longparish football pitch every Saturday afternoon from 2.30pm. This is a free activity for children between the ages of 7 and 11. For further information please
contact Martin