A brief history of Milborne St Andrew Village Hall

On the 29^th September 1943 Sidney and Mona Isabel Field of Longthorns, bought the land from Bradford Property Trust who were managing the sale of the Debenham estate.  They paid £200 the equivalent today is £9631.84.  Mr & Mrs Field intended to gift it to the villagers of Milborne St Andrew.

The Deed of Dedication intended that the land be ‘used for the purposes of physical and mental training and recreation and social moral and intellectual development through the medium of playing fields, reading and recreation rooms, library, lectures, classes, recreations and entertainment or otherwise as may be found expedient for the benefit of persons resident in the neighbourhood of the village of Milborne St Andrew without distinction of sex or political religious or other subject to the provision of these present.’

A Trust Deed was signed on 8^th March 1944 which transferred the responsibility for the land to a Committee of Management or Trustees and registered as a Charity.  This group consisted of

J.L Gray - Parish Council
Rev T. C. Brochner - St Andrew’s PCC
Rev. W. Davis - Wesleyan Methodist Chapel
H. Miller Jnr - Milborne School Manager
Miss Frampton - Women’s Institute
Mrs Parsons - Women’s Voluntary Service
B. Mullett - Reading Room
D. Parsons - British Legion
E. Rose - Home Guard

The first meeting was scheduled in October 1944.  Records show that the first meeting was held in the school on 14^th January 1944. 

Key Dates:

• In October 1950, the Youth Club were given permission to erect a ‘Nissen Hut’.

• The new hall was opened June 1952 following a lot of fundraising.   The cost of which was more than £3000.

• In July 1952 the committee held their meeting in the new hall

• A Playing Field Committee was set up to plan the development of the land so that it could be better used.

• In 1959 the loan that had been obtained was finally paid off.

• In 1962 there was a public meeting about the playing field and a new subcommittee was formed. The field was officially opening in September 1964

• In 1963 there were problems with the car park.

• The playground equipment was bought in 1965.

• The playgroup which had been using the hall moved to Ansty but returned in 1971.

• Quotes for the new extension were received in 1974 and the hall extension of the committee room was started in June of 75 and completed in November of that same year. With the loft extension completed in March 1979.

• There was a meeting in May 1985 to discuss the use of the top field which had previously been rented to Mr Miller from 1980.

• In 1987 the Hall won a prize in the best kept Village Hall competition run by Dorset County and sponsored by Girobank.

• 2009 Following the award of a People's Millions and a Livability Fund grant (and others) the hall was extended, stage lighting massively improved, top field re-developed with the zip wire and wild-flower meadow and the MUGA constructed.

• In 2014 the playground multi-play equipment was condemned as it did not meet safety requirements.

• In 2015 discussions led to a plan to use the ‘top field’ for a bike track and walking paths.

• In 2016 the grant from Postcode Lottery enabled the re-creation of the area.

• 2016 new equipment purchased for the play park including new flooring.  Funded through Tesco Bags of Help and S106 grant.

• 2021-22 The Hall survives Covid. Government support + other grants pay for new glazing and doors.

• Following many years of planning and application the charity converted to a ‘Charitable Incorporated Organisation’ (CIO) in 2022.

• 2023  Development grant (S106) pays for the installation of Solar Panels + battery for the hall.

• 2023 The Ladybirds move from the hall to their new base at Milborne St Andrew First School.

Pam Shults – Village History Group + later additions.