The dedicated team and long-standing family behind the operation of Longwick Village Hall are speaking out to set the record straight regarding the hall’s management, historical background, and commitment to serving the entire local community.

 

For over 50 years, members of the Lawrence family and a small team of passionate volunteers have devoted thousands of hours to building, preserving, and updating Longwick Village Hall. From raising funds to purchase the original land in 1971 to clearing an inherited £17,000 debt through community jumble sales, quizzes, and dances, the family’s sole objective has always been ensuring Longwick has a safe, well-maintained hub for all

Residents.

 

In recent weeks, targeted petitions and personal attacks directed at these volunteers have caused significant distress to the team. The dispute stems from efforts by certain individuals associated with the village pre-school pushing for structural changes that could alter how the hall serves the broader public.

 

Protecting Fair Access and Community Balance

While the hall committee fully supports local early years education - currently providing the pre-school with a deeply discounted hire rate of 47% off standard commercial pricing, as well as space for toddlers and rising 2s - the hall must remain a balanced facility. Pre-School hire fees were £5.00 per hour in 2021, then went up to £8.00 per hour in 2024. This is a 60% increase not 70% over the last 4 years.

 

A total conversion or full-time monopolisation by one group would eliminate the village’s ability to host essential private events, weekend birthday parties, weddings, charity functions, and community gatherings.

 

"Our goal has never been to exclude anyone using the hall, it has always been to maintain a level of fairness for all user groups and the wider community to maintain balance," says Kim Sulston, Committee Chair. "The hall is a community asset and should be available to all residents. If we allow it to be locked up exclusively for one single user group, our community loses its only open venue for celebrations, local sports, and charitable events."

 

Decades of Quiet Giving and Upgrades

Contrary to recent claims regarding hall operations, the current committee and the Lawrence family have continuously reinvested back into the hall and local causes:

● Over £20,000 Donated: Through community events like the local bingo (originally brought over to save it after the Molins club closure), funds have directly purchased the hall’s stage, sound system, kitchen appliances, and even provided emergency funding to keep the hall solvent through COVID-19 lockdowns.

● Essential Upgrades: Recent volunteer efforts have delivered new security doors for child safeguarding, building subsidence cover, crucial tree maintenance, and preparations for a fully renovated "kitchen to go" for hire events - to be installed at zero labour cost by trustee volunteers.

● Giving Back: In 2021, a community bingo night raised another £121 directly for Longwick School. Over the decades, family-led efforts have raised tens of thousands for local causes, including Parkinson’s charities, hospital equipment for disabled children, and local fete initiatives.

 

Looking Forward

The committee remains steadfast in protecting the original trust of the hall: keeping it solvent, safe, and accessible to everyone in Longwick - not just a select few. Residents who value having a local venue for family parties, youth football, pop-up events, and social groups are encouraged to support the committee in keeping Longwick Village Hall a balanced, truly public asset for generations to come.