The Christmas Market is back

We are looking forward to seeing you tomorrow in the Village Hall, from 10 am, at The Christmas Market.

Don’t forget we will be drawing the three winning lottery tickets at this event, winners will be announced at the event and on our website. Winning ticket holders will be contacted next week.For more details about the lottery and how to join please click here

Jumble Sale this weekend!

Have you had a spring clean and clear out! We would love your jumble.

Please bring any donations to the Village Hall on Saturday 4th May, between 9.30 am and 10.30 am

The Sale will be between 2 pm and 4 pm, best of all, proceeds will go towards building our New Community Centre.

With thanks, as always, to the community for supporting our events and to all our marvelous volunteers.

See you on Saturday!

Fundraising latest… Bric-a-Brac and Brunch

There was a fantastic atmosphere at the recent Bric-a-Brac and Brunch fundraising event, held in the Village Hall. Thanks to everyone who donated and joined us for a good old treasure hunt and a wonderful selection of delicious hot breakfasts, tea and cakes…

Some of our brilliant volunteers, with their biggest fan!

The HDCC Village Fundraising Team has also been working very hard  to put together a programme of events for the year ahead.

The Spring Village Market will be held on Saturday March 23rd and the  Christmas Market will be held on Saturday November 23rd in the Village Hall

2024 Fundraising Calendar in aid of HDCC

  • Saturday February 24th – Bric-a -Brac and Brunch (11am -3pm)
  • Saturday March 30th –Coffee Morning 10.30 -12.30 (originally Scavenger Hunt, but this will now be in July so as not to clash with Wilderness Wood’s Egg Hunt)
  • Saturday May 4th Jumble Sale (2pm -3.30 pm)
  • Saturday July 6th Scavenger Hunt on Playing Field or around Village?
  • August 24th Barbecue and Quiz
  • Saturday October 5th Souper Saturday (Soup kitchen in the Village Hall)
  • Saturday December 7th Something Crafty (Salt dough, decorations, wreath etc.)

Many thanks to our fantastic local fund raising team: Glenys Lake, Sarah Allen, Jane Hissey, Dee Hogg, Gill Terry, Janet Tourell, Ann Zenka and all the volunteers who do so much to help us.

Fundraising Expertise

In order to realise our goal of providing a New Community Centre at the Playing Field, we need to raise significant funds. Getting more volunteers and expertise will have a massive impact on our results.
Several residents that responded to our survey offered to help us to write grant applications.

Was that you?

Unfortunately we don’t have your contact details, as the survey was anonymous. If you have any expertise in this area and would like to support us please contact Sarah, sarah@downthelane.uk

For more ways you can support us please visit our fundraising page here
or to make a donation please click on the donate button

Thank You

Our Business Plan

If you joined us for our public meeting in July 2023 you will know that our goal, once we had washed up the results from our village survey, was to to begin updating our Business Plan.

  • The business plan was first written in 2014 and, again in 2017, lots has changed since then
  • We’ve made good progress on writing an updated business plan but, it has taken a bit longer than expected to pull it all together
  • You can download the draft plan here
  • The Plan is currently being peer reviewed and we expect to make further revisions based on their feedback.
  • It brings together all of the different elements of the project, including:
    • The history of how we got here
    • The project proposal – floor plan, planning consent, elevations etc
    • The latest proposal to stage the implementation
    • Key financial assumptions about the ongoing financial viability of the community centre. This crucial element has been presented to the Community Centre Advisory Committee who were supportive of the work done so far
    • The capital project details – building costs, specifications etc from the architects and surveyors
    • How we will organise ourselves to deliver the project and run the hall afterwards
  • There will be a more detailed Capital Plan and Fundraising Strategy which will be shared in due course
  • We have looked at many business plans from other similar villages who have managed to build a new community centre on their playing field and have used both their plans and their cost and expenditure numbers to help guide us in this exercise
  • The Business Plan will be a living document that we will review, update and republish periodically – highlighting any changes. It will be available for anyone to read and will, most importantly, be a key factor in our conversations with funders as we move on to the fundraising stage 
  • If you are interested in a more detailed discussion on the business plan, we would be delighted to organise a meeting where we can answer any questions you may have.
  • your comments and feedback would be most welcome, please contact Mandy or Sarah.
  • We are always open to fresh talent joining our team, if you feel that you would like to support us with the Business Plan or our Fund Raising Strategy please do contact us.

Mandy Chapman mandy.chapman45@gmail.com
Sarah Prall sarah@downthelane.uk

The Spring Market and Lottery Draw

We do hope you can come along and join us for the Spring Market to be held in the Village Hall on

Saturday 23rd March, 10 am -2 pm.

Local Produce, preserves, crafts, plants and lots more available.

Refreshments will be served all morning and HDCC will be drawing the winners of the Spring Lottery.

If anyone would like to buy lottery tickets in aid of HDCC or book a stall please contact
Janet jtourell@btinternet.com
there are still a few stalls left!

Our thanks, as ever, to all our supporters.