Down Ampney is a small village located just inside the cotswold water park on the Wiltshire border and 5 miles south east of the town of Cirencester. The village is renowned as the birth place of the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams.
5th September saw a record breaking annual show in Down Ampney in the spanking new village hall, with more entrants than ever before. Despite the disappointing weather this summer, the judges were again impressed with the standard in such a small village; the flowers were particularly successful this year after heavy rain caused so many problems last year.
Many, many thanks to all the entrants, the ‘invisible organizing staff’ and to the judges. It was another very successful village event – some said the best show ever.
Click Here for the show results.
Planning permission has been sought and gained by the Parish Council to extend the new Village Hall. It is the intention to rent the extension to the voluntarily run Village Shop Society to house the shop and Post Office on one site.
Tenders for the work are being sought and will be opened by the Consultants and the Village Hall Committee on 19th June 2009.
Please contact David Job, Chairman Village Hall Committee on 01793 750532 for further information.
Well done Down Ampney for winning the Runners Up title of the
Children & Young People Category
In the 2009 Gloucestershire
Calor Village of the Years Competition
There were five categories overall in the competition and Down Ampney was competing against many other villages and towns across Gloucestershire. The village wins a framed certificate and £100 to spend on village activities.
The superb play area, MUGA pitch, tennis courts and Youth Club in the village had a strong influence on the judging. Also 4 -17 year olds were consulted in the recent Parish Plan and our Primary School Council and youngsters contact with other organisations and older villagers was all a part of our submission. So well done Down Ampney!!
The ‘60s night at the Football Club on 27th February gave about 90 Down Ampneyans a chance to strut their stuff. Some wonderful fancy dress outfits were dragged from cupboards – everything from hippies to mini-skirts to loons. Perhaps you saw the photo of Pam Varey and Tony Peel in the Standard on 19th March.
We are most grateful to the Football Club who once more kindly waived the charge for hiring the hall, and special thanks also to June Evans and Vera Wright who did such a terrific job with the food. We banked an impressive £920 from the evening, including sale of DAShA goods on the night. And what ’s more, quite a few people asked for a repeat event towards the end of the year.
What a great evening this was! We are so grateful to Alison Frost for the brilliant idea, all her hard work and the wonderful ten-course meal! It was all so good – not least because it showed our lovely new village hall could happily house a sit-down dinner, with the ‘mood lighting’ and background music giving a very pleasant atmosphere.
Special thanks go to Sue Mills and Rose Houston who worked so hard on the night. And having Helen, James and Mary doing the waiting made it all so stylish. Also many thanks to the Village Hall Committee for donating the complementary drinks.
We raised just over £1000. Fabulous!
We’ve only got to the end of March and DAShA has already raised nearly £2000 from the ‘60s night, the Pay What You Think’ dinner and from the sale of goods - bags, t-shirts and soap.
But it’s not just our events that are adding to our funds. Behind the scenes people, who usually want to remain anonymous, are being most generous with donations.
DOWN AMPNEY DOTS is a new weekly mother and toddler group starting up in the Village Hall on Thursday 12th March 2009. Sessions will run from 1:00pm - 2:45pm and all Mummys, Carers, Babies and Toddlers are welcome
Please come along and support this new group.
For more information contact Emily on 01793 759 153 or Sam on 01793 750 866
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This will be the last Update on progress with the rebuilding of the Village Hall:
The new Hall will be officially opened by our MP Geoffrey Clifton Brown at 3.30pm on Friday 20th February 2009. We have invited those organisations who have directly assisted the Village Hall Management Committee and those Villagers who have been involved in not only the Rebuilding the Hall but who were instrumental in the establishment and running of the old Hall.
All Villagers and their families are invited to a special Open Day event on Saturday 21st February between 10 am and 2pm. The Committee will conduct tours of the new Hall showing the many features that have been incorporated into the design. You will all receive individual invitations in the Down Ampney newsletter, so join us and help us celebrate the opening of our new Village hall.
We are taking bookings from 1st March 2009 please contact booking secretary Peter Baillie on 01793 751429 or bookings@downampneyvillagehall.co.uk. The booking fees will remain the same as July 2007.
Villagers can get the most up to date information in Down Ampney News delivered monthly through your letterbox. You can also pick up the latest copy at the village shop.
To provide content for the DA News email Mrs M Robson or Mrs J Singleton.
If you would like to advertise your business in the DA News please contact Sheila Burgess on (01285) 860796