I am thrilled to be able to inform everybody in the village that contracts for the sale of the existing hall site have been exchanged and it is expected that completion of the sale and payment of the money will take place in early October. This deal will precede the demolition of the hall and the building of four detached houses.

In parallel with this, we have also now selected a successful tenderer for the contract to construct the new hall and, following a constructive negotiation, we have reached a firm figure which will allow us to sign the contract to start construction. As I write this, the schedule setting out the various aspects of the contract is being discussed, and it appears that we can probably complete the new hall by the end of May next year.

The Trustees are aware of the need to inform the village of what is happening and so we have set a date for a Public Meeting, at 8pm on Friday 16th October as, by then, we should have signed the various documents and no longer need to maintain the commercial confidentiality which is necessary during the contractual negotiations.

I do hope that we will have a good attendance at the meeting, particularly of those people who were generous in lending the Trustees money to allow the site to be purchased some years ago. Most of you have been contacted about the timing of repayments or the possibility of a gift and we would like to explain how the financing of the construction of the new hall will be arranged.

There will be a New Year’s Eve party in the hall again this year – probably the last such party in this hall! Please contact David Vallance on 883422 if you would like tickets so that he can get an idea of the probable numbers.

The Ceremony of Remembrance this year will take place at 10:00 on Sunday 8th November. This will be the last time that this ceremony will be held at the old hall as by next year the plaques will have been moved onto the new building, where we will have more space and quieter surroundings. This should enable the ceremony to be more peaceful and contemplative for all who attend.

Sandy Mackay, Chairman of the Trustees