ALL GO FOR MOFFAT VOLUNTEERS!

Moffat Town Hall Trust has just set up a new body to help develop volunteering in the town.  It aims to increase the numbers of volunteers in Moffat, to encourage volunteering amongst younger people in particular, and to work with other organisations in the town to co-ordinate activity and share volunteers.

The new group – to be known as Moffat Community Volunteers (MCV) – has just received a small grant from the Voluntary Action Fund.  The grant will pay for a part-time volunteer Coordinator post, training and equipment for volunteers and promotional materials.

The newly appointed Coordinator, Jon Haydon, will develop the scheme over the next year or so.  Links have already been made with the Academy, and Jon is looking forward to an exciting future for the scheme.  “There is an awful lot of volunteering already in Moffat.  We are in the early stages just now, but we plan to grow the number of volunteers and try to give them a consistent and positive experience”, he said.  “We are also keen to work with groups in Moffat to share volunteers and develop good training and support for all volunteers in the town”.

For further information, anyone interested in volunteering, or groups wanting to work with MCV, should contact Jon on 07812 914188

Take a look at the Notice Board !

Good morning, All,

If you're passing the Town Hall, please do take a look in the Notice Board on the Library side - it now has some notices in it !  It's just a small start at present, but we look forward to receiving lots of posters now that you can see we really are using it.  Notices will be changed/updated each Monday afternoon.

Enjoy reading what's there :)

A NEW OPPORTUNITY

We hope you have spotted the smart new notice board that is outside the Town Hall on the library side of the building.  It is not only for Town Hall events, but for any Community Group/event organiser to supply posters to be displayed.

We would obviously like to have posters for all upcoming events in the Town Hall (particularly the regular coffee mornings), but subject to space, will include other Community items.  At present, we propose the posters to be included will be in A3 format.  Just email your A4 poster to 

MTHRT@visitmoffat.co.uk

and we will do the rest.  Alternatively, drop your printed A4 poster into the Town Hall and we will enlarge it to A3 and place it on the board.  There is NO CHARGE for this new facility.

HAVE YOU BOUGHT YOUR TICKETS YET? SUNDAY'S JAZZ AT THE TOWN HALL WILL BE BRILLIANT!

I was very fortunate yesterday afternoon to sit in on a workshop being conducted by a young jazz pianist - Tom Gibbs from Glasgow - with the Moffat Piano Ensemble from Moffat Academy.  Also present was Champian Fulton giving the students advice about performing and their performance.  The Champian Fulton Trio supported by the Moffat Piano Ensemble will be performing from 12.30 p.m. on Sunday.  

Tickets are also still available for Tim Kliphuis supported by the Moffat Schools Jazz Group at 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.  Tim has had many sell-out gigs in the region, but this is his first visit to Moffat and we very much look forward to enjoying his sound.

Tickets, £8 are available for both gigs until 5 p.m. on Saturday at Present Time, High Street, Moffat and will also be available at the door on Sunday.

TOWN HALL KITCHEN BACK IN ACTION

Saturday 14^th September saw the use of the kitchen for the first big event (the British Legion Coffee Morning) since its refurbishment.  The volunteer ladies were able to enjoy the new units, with the range of stainless steel fittings and appliances. 

The kitchen refurbishment has been the Community’s top priority for refurbishment since the original consultation on the fate of the Town Hall back in 2006.  Thanks to funding support from Scottish Hydro Clyde Community Fund and Dumfries and Galloway LEADER Programme, the refurbishment has now been achieved.  Instock, a leading commercial kitchen supply company from Carlisle, together with a local joiner and electrician completed the refit in time for the coffee morning.  The new kitchen provides a much better working environment, and provides a greater range of facilities which can be used for catering during events

Peter Beck-Samuels, a Trust Board member, stated “It is great to see the kitchen refurbished at last, with up to date facilities and work surfaces.”  

The lovely new stainless steel kitchen

The volunteers enjoying using the new facilities

MOFFAT TOWN HALL REDEVELOPMENT TRUST A.G.M.

Moffat Town Hall Redevelopment Trust held its fifth Annual General Meeting on Thursday 22 August 2013.  There were a good number of members present who were greeted with a glass of wine/soft drink as desired.  The official business commenced at 7.30 pm when Peter Beck-Samuels, Chair, took the floor and welcomed everyone.  He also announced that, as previously indicated, with the Town Hall now entering a very new stage with the Trust having commenced managing the building in November, he would be stepping down as Chair.    In doing so, he thanked his Board for their support and work and also to Gerard Godfrey whose Project Management, particularly of the renovation stage, had gone above and beyond the call of duty and was continuing with him as a volunteer.  Jane McCulloch was also thanked for all she has achieved in the short time since she commenced her post.

The Trust has received many favourable comments regarding the cleaned stonework and looks forward to the official unveiling of all the completed outside works on Sunday 6 October 2013.

The works to the kitchen that had only recently been commenced were also mentioned and those present were invited to take a look at the bare room now that the floor has been lifted so that there is no longer that awkward step down into the kitchen.  The kitchen will be finished by mid September in time for the first coffee morning of the post-summer season.  After Peter Beck-Samuels had finished his report, Martin Brown, Vice-Chairman, proposed a vote of thanks to the outgoing Chair.

Under the agenda item "Election and reappointment of Directors", it was revealed that only one nomination had been received for the post of Chair, that of Lord Johnstone of Raehills.  It is entirely appropriate that he is taking this post as it was his family who originally gifted the land to the town for the Town Hall to be built in 1827.  Resignation from the Board had been received from Martin Tilstone who has taken up a post away from Moffat and will only be in the town at weekends.  He was thanked for all the time and effort he has put into his Board membership since joining.

The main business of the meeting concluded with Jane McCulloch making a presentation showing the progress of the Town Hall to date.  Following the business of the meeting, all present were invited to enjoy refreshments and to mingle.

AN EXCITING EVENT at the TOWN HALL on Sunday 27 September 2013

NEW THIS YEAR: Lockerbie Jazz Fesstival is spreading its wings to MOFFAT and there will be 2 gigs in MOFFAT TOWN HALL on Sunday 27 September. As well as tickets being available in person from Present Time, they are also bookable online a thttp://www.lockerbiejazz.com/index.php?pageID=166.
There will be a bar open for the event, kindly being run by THE STAG HOTEL, Moffat.
As you will see in the programme, at 12.30 p.m. will be the Champian Fulton Trio - hear a clip at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzCkDquycc4. 
At 4 p.m. will be Tim Kliphaus - hear a clip at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWRCYYurUI4
The timing of these gigs is just a few days before the official unveiling of the works that have been ongoing at the Town Hall since February this year.  It's all exciting stuff !!