“It’s a wonderful space with a great feel to it, and also a lot of history, but we urgently need more people to hire it so we can keep paying the bills.”
Ros Tumber is sharing her worries about the future of Playden WI Hall, which costs just £12 per hour to hire. Currently only a few groups use the hall on a regular basis. “We get so many people commenting on what a lovely hall it is and what a shame it would be if it were to close, but if more people don’t use it, I’m not sure how much longer we can keep it open.”
Ros is the chairperson of Playden Women’s Institute, which was one of the first to be established in 1918. The building, on Houghton Green Lane just off Rye Road, was built in 1922 and fully refurbished in 2000. It also had some significant work done last year; the electrics were updated, the fire safety and heating systems improved, and the kitchen given a makeover.
“We were on the verge of bankruptcy two years ago,” she said. “But were incredibly fortunate to receive some very generous donations from local residents, which enabled us to turn things around and complete the necessary upgrades”.
The hall hosts monthly WI meetings, Playden Parish Council meetings and local elections. It’s also used for birthday parties and is big enough for a bouncy castle.
One of the few community groups currently using the hall is Step Up and Dance. Every Wednesday at 6pm the group meets for an hour of line dancing. “We absolutely love holding our weekly class at the Playden WI hall,” said organiser Helen Day. “The hall is such a well-kept space with good lighting. It’s always clean, with a well equipped kitchen and has the added bonus of a good sized car park. It’s run by really friendly helpful people who make organising events simple and stress free.”
New activities in the hall include an informal weight-loss and social group on Monday mornings and a standing and seated Pilates class on Wednesday afternoons starting in October.
“The hall lends itself to a great range of activities, but we’d especially welcome more groups or classes that benefit the local community,” said Ros. “We’d really love to have Tai Chi here again. A seniors keep fit class would be good and maybe some holistic therapies as the acoustics are great for sound baths! We’re open to all sorts really; we just need more people to hire the hall. It really is a case of use it or lose it.”
To hire the hall contact Ros on 07719 405123 or email playdenwihall@gmail.com
For more info about Step Up and Dance Line Dance call Helen on 07403 922968.
Image Credits: Helen Day , James Stewart .