Memorial Hall

Facilities

The hall is available for hire and all proceeds go towards maintenance and further development as part of an ongoing update and improvement programme to make the space better and better as a community amenity and as a public hiring space.

The hall benefits from a newly refurbished kitchen with serving bar, a pretty garden and patio seating area as well as a bigger lawned area surrounding the building, and new purpose built WC facilities including disabled toilet and shower area with baby changing facilities. There is also a small separate meeting room.

Hire Rates

All Day £135 Hourly £13.50
Special deals available for regular non-commercial use and supply of Bar, Barbecue, Caterers, Staging, Audio/Visual Equipment and Marquees.

History

The hall was erected ‘as a thanksgiving offering for victory in the second world war and as a memorial to the fallen’. In 1951 Dr. Malcolm Poign from “The Beeches” donated the land on which the hall now stands.

In January 1952 Frederick Ellis, Ralph Richard Clarke and Stanley Collins signed a trust deed and as Trustees of the land employed an architect to draw up plans for a village hall. In 1959 the completed hall was hired out for the first time. A charitable Trust [Registered Trust is No. 304950] was established by Trust Deed in July 1964 for the “purposes of physical and mental training and recreation and social and moral and intellectual development… for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Parish of Walsham le Willows in the county of Suffolk and its immediate vicinity without distinction of sex or of political, religious or other opinions…”

For more information see James Turner’s book Wartime Walsham – Walsham le Willows 1939-1945.

The hall was built mainly by the voluntary labour of the people and craftsmen of the village. The 1.33 acres of land on which the hall stands is situated in the centre of the village and includes the car park and bowling green. It is held in the name of the Trust as a public amenity for the village.

In 1990 the Village Hall Committee stood down and its responsibilities were taken over by the Community Council and separate financial accounts continued to be operated for each charitable trust.

Hire Agreements

Winter 2021 Special Hire Conditions (covid-19)

Hirers Covid risk assessment template

Contacts

For hire and any other Memorial Hall related enquiries
Sarah Cousins