Latest News from Wath Hall
SATURDAY 1st MAY 2021
ACTIVE OUTDOORS
The beautiful spring weather in mid-April was a delight for the keep-fit group exercising in the Hall grounds.
The good weather also made it ideal for work to start on crucial improvements to the grounds and buildings.
Direct Tree Services of Sheffield did an excellent job in doing the tasks pinpointed in the autumn survey of our 48 trees. There was much pruning and one tree was felled, a maple infected with honey fungus.
At the end of April work began to renew the flat roof of the 1960s building. Malden Roofing Contractors of Sheffield is now into the second week of this major project.
TUESDAY 22nd DECEMBER
WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS
Do Visit Wath Community History Group's Website: www.wathhistory.org.uk
On Friday 11 December, the Right Honourable John Healey MP, Wentworth and Dearne, planted a commemorative tree in the grounds of Wath Hall. The planting was to mark the buying of the Hall by the community this year and to mark the 250th anniversary of the building of the Hall in 1770. As the sapling is a silver birch (Snow Queen) it will replace the dead birch tree which was recently taken down.
The other folk in the picture are Steve Bradwell, Tony Swindells and Annabel Vernon, shareholders in the Wath Hall Preservation Society. John is also a shareholder. In future years will comment be made on the necessity of face coverings because of the Covid-19 pandemic?
October and November saw continued activity at the Hall, while observing Covid-19 restrictions. The most important development was the signing of a contract with SolarFrame of Thurnscoe/Goldthorpe to replace all the windows in the 1960s building. New frames will improve the look of the place and combine with modern double glazing to make significant energy savings on heating.
Directors Steve and Alex continued to explore the hidden spaces of the Georgian building – ancient timber beams and ‘modern’ RSJs.
Improved waterproofing of porch entrances to the old and new buildings completed.
Fire Risk Assessment and Emergency Plan completed.
Kitchen walls decorated and units fitted.
Lines in the car park marking bays repainted.
A room in the new building re-plastered.
BT installed a fibre gigabit ethernet connection.
Detailed Tree Risk Assessment conducted by AWA Tree Consultants of Sheffield. We have 48 trees, a dozen varieties: Beech, Maple, Plane, Cherry, Lime, etc. All but one are healthy and the one affected by honey fungus will have to be felled. We are indebted to the Wath Ward Budget for funding the survey.
We continued to develop links with other community organisations such as Dearne Active.
WEDNESDAY 30th SEPTEMBER
Since taking ownership of the Hall at the end of July we have been very busy getting it ready for business. Throughout August and September much has been done, despite complications created by the Covid-19 pandemic. In the 1960s extension to the Hall a deep-cleaning operation was completed to make it Covid-19 secure, with a hand-sanitising station at the entrance (gloves and masks also available), social distancing markers and one-way route signs in corridors.
From the outset we committed ourselves to employing local companies for work on the Hall and we are delighted to recognise their contributions.
Dearne Electrical Limited of Wath has been remarkably good in reviving the fire alarm system, rewiring circuits in rooms and corridors and fitting new external security lighting.
The security lights were supplied by MG Lites Energy Saving Solutions, of Old Denaby.
Howdens Joinery of Rotherham gave us a new kitchen, free of charge.
PH Heating Engineers Limited of Wath made the old gas boiler in the cellar totally safe and secure, as well as draining down the central heating system.
Shaws Skips of Wath readily positioned a skip in different places to make it easier to clear material from inside the Hall and remove green waste.
On the banking at the end of the '60s extension, volunteers have been clearing the ground and replanting with ferns, hostas and persicaria to create a Shade Garden.
We know there are many of you keen to volunteer your help, but anti-Covid 19 measures are restrictive. However, be assured you will have the opportunity to help us.
SUNDAY 26th JULY
Dear Shareholders,
We have successfully completed our purchase of this beautiful Georgian mansion and its grounds from Rotherham council. Consequently, share certificates have been issued.
The Hall was built in 1770 and was the town hall for Wath from 1892 until 1974, being declared redundant in 2014. Together with the charity Wath Hall Limited, our six-year campaign to secure it for the people of Wath has succeeded in the Hall’s 250th anniversary year, a remarkable achievement! I am profoundly grateful for your patient support and encouragement throughout the negotiations to buy Wath Hall.
Our exciting and vital venture is unique to Rotherham and South Yorkshire. There is nothing like it in nature, scale or ambition. It was local folk like you who raised the cash to buy the freehold, investing your money in Wath Hall Preservation Society community shares. You have bought Wath Hall and its beautiful surroundings to safeguard the future for Wath through the formation of a creative community enterprise. Community and economic regeneration are at the very heart of our project.
Much needs to be done before the Hall can be opened for business – roof repairs, electrical re-wiring, new heating system installed – then we will operate as an arts and heritage centre, holding public events, facilitating community groups and housing local small businesses. It will be a fantastic resource for Wath to be proud of.
We have emphasised from the outset that buying the Hall and its grounds would enable people to own their past and secure their future. In the verychallenging social and economic environment created by the current Covid-19 virus emergency, our project is all the more urgent.
Once again, many thanks for your investment. If you have any questions or wish to volunteer your time/expertise then please contact me or a member of the team.
Yours sincerely,
Alan Sherriff MBE
Chairman, Wath Hall Preservation Society Limited
FRIDAY 1st MAY
The slow pace of progress with our purchase of the Hall is frustrating, but sorting out the legalities has taken rather longer than planned or expected. Now we have the Covid-19 lockdown! Consequently, we are delaying the issue of share certificates until we have the Hall. All monies are secure.
The good news is that we are in active contact with departments at Riverside House who are keen to help us promote development of the Hall. For example, although the present emergency has meant altered responsibilities and priorities within RMBC, the Culture, Sport & Tourism directorate has linked two relatively new staff to work with us. One person is the Head of Creative Programming and Engagement and the other is Arts and Heritage Manager.
Just like everyone else, we want the lockdown restrictions eased/ended so that we can burst into life – if only to get a gardening team to work. There is only a limited amount which can be done through virtual media contacts.
Thank you for reading and we hope to have more news soon.
Stay safe
MONDAY 23 DECEMBER
WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS
THURSDAY 21 NOVEMBER
Yes, the project is still progressing.
The wheels of bureaucracy do turn exceedingly slowly, but they are moving! Consequently, we are totally confident of being able to announce soon that we have secured the freehold and can begin the renovation.
On Remembrance Sunday (10 November) we opened the Hall for visitors to see an exhibition commemorating the fallen of both world wars. Many of the very large number who gathered at the war memorial for the laying of wreaths, after a service in the parish church, came into the Hall and shared memories of family and friends.
Do visit Wath Community History Group's website: wathhistory.org.uk
WEDNESDAY 10 JULY
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!
Fantastic response, £93,000 invested in shares by you.
Today, Sunday 30 June, should be the closing day of the Wath Hall community share offer.
However, as we are within a hair’s breadth of reaching our target of £90k and have received a number of requests for shares at the very last minute, we are holding the offer open for another 7 days.
As stated on p1 of the share offer document, “WHPS may choose to extend the period of the share offer if they feel that it would be beneficial.”
This late rush is because of the splendid publicity we had on BBC Radio Sheffield last Thursday and folk returning from holiday this weekend.
Wath Hall Newsletter JUNE 2019
Our Community Share offer opened on Wednesday 24 April and we held 3
public share offer meetings at the Hall in the first half of May. Your
response has been totally positive, with thousands of pounds being
invested in the shares. Consequently, we are more confident than ever of
reaching our minimum target of £90,000, which will trigger matching
investment under the Community Shares Booster Programme.
BUT, BUT, BUT we are not yet there and we must not lose the momentum
we have generated. Heartfelt thanks to those of you who have bought
shares and an urgent plea to those who are still thinking about investing,
JUST DO IT!
Preserve the Hall for OUR community and the future.
Ensure the Town Green stays accessible for ALL.
Help to buy OUR unique Georgian mansion.
Buy your past – Secure your future.
REMEMBER THE DEADLINE IS THE END OF JUNE
Groups can invest as a body, just as the local Scouts/Cubs/Beavers are doing
– pooling their individual £1 contributions to make the £50 minimum
investment. Talk to your children, friends, neighbours, colleagues.
If you are wondering about the human stories linked with the Hall’s history,
then go to our Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/WathTownHall
Wath Hall Newsletter March / April 2019
The Directors of Wath Hall Limited have been very busy behind the scenes since the start of 2019. They have been preparing a share issue and forming a community benefit society (Wath Hall Preservation Society Limited) with Co-operatives UK and Power to Change. This puts them in the position to be able to launch a community share issue, so the public have the opportunity to buy a stake in the future of Wath Hall.
Three public meetings have been planned to launch the share offer. They will be held at Wath Hall on Wednesday 1st May at 11am and 6pm and on Saturday 18th May at 11am. Please come along to find out more about how you can invest in the future of the Hall.
You will see lots of publicity about the Hall, such as this press release:
SAVE WATH HALL
Own your past – Secure your future
A unique opportunity has arisen to buy shares in a monumental piece of local history and to secure the future of Wath Hall.
Community shares in Wath Hall and its beautiful surroundings, including the town green, are going on sale to the public from 24th April 2019.
‘Most folk will have heard of people buying shares in the local shop, or pub or even a wind farm, but this is a rare opportunity to buy shares in a unique historical building. You will also be supporting a local charity and safeguarding the future for Wath through the formation of a creative community project’.
‘Putting the Hall back into use for the community is our priority. We aim to buy the Hall and make essential upgrades to the heating, electrical and security systems in the Hall annex. It will then be open for public events, community groups and local small businesses’.
The company selling the shares in the Hall is Wath Hall Preservation Society Limited, working with the registered charity Wath Hall Limited. The minimum investment is £50 for 50 shares and the maximum share holding is 20,000.
‘Owning the building outright will put the charity in the best position to bid for large grants to renovate the Georgian Hall and to get it up and running as an arts and heritage centre. It will be a fantastic facility for Wath to be proud of’.
