Mile End Road, Colchester CO4 5DY Tel: 07518 437 488

6 February     Fish & Chip Supper

A word of thanks to everyone who attended the Fish & Chip Supper on Saturday 5th February - we all had a great time, and even made £167 without even trying! That money will be very well used, we assure you! Special thanks to Esther Wilde, who must have spent many hours preparing the games, as well as managing the event and making sure all the tickets were sold and paid for! Another success!

19 December     Compliments of the season!

Compliments all round, in fact. The Hall Management just want to say a really big "thank-you" to everyone who has used or visited the Halls in 2010, for making the first year of operation so inspirational! From the wide eyes and "wow" comments of our opening day, right through to the busy end of the year, it has been such a happy experience for us to see so many people enjoying the facilities. Thank you, too, for keeping the Halls looking spick-and-span, and looking attractive to new User groups - we have three more starting in January!

Finally, we wish everyone a very happy Christmas, and another happy and successful year in 2011.

17 November Car Parking - reminder

There is now a notice by the driveway to the Halls reminding us all that there is NO GENERAL PARKING AT THE HALLS.

Parking is for disabled visitors and authorised persons only.

We have seen people driving up to drop off children at the main entrance - this is dangerous, as there is only one way in and out.

21 October     Hall Management Team reviews a hectic season

There were lots of User Organisations represented at the Hall Management Team meeting on Tuesday - and all declared how pleased they are with the facilities at the Halls. Therefore, many of the issues raised were small ones, but here are just a few important matters:

• Car parking: it is vital that parking is restricted to the vehicles of disabled visitors and staff. With adults and children using the driveway, and vehicles going both ways, it is too risky to have members of User Groups using the driveway. If this rule is not observed, we'll have to put a fixed barrier across.

• Heating: We've set the under-floor heating to be a good temperature throughout the day. Please don't adjust the thermostats in the Small Hall - it would take two hours to affect the room temperature anyway! Instead, leave a note for us at the reception desk, and we'll adjust it centrally for you.

• Please take your rubbish home! Do check the toilets and the floors before you leave, to make sure that nothing smelly is left behind for the next hirer. And please do not leave food waste outside the Halls - there are certain 4-legged animals we do not want as Hall Users!

• Our thanks to all who have been doing gardening over the summer - the Halls have looked lovely!

• Finances are breaking even - at least that's what we think, after two or three quarterly bills - so we might be able to buy a few little extras for the Halls.

• Occupancy levels continue to rise; Eric Day's phone number (above) is getting even busier!

• Finally - it's really good news that Jan Doherty is to be our new Care-taker - "Facilities Manager" - doing the little odd jobs that make a big difference. If you notice anything that's not right about the premises, please report it promptly by leaving a note for us at Reception.

• The next Hall Management Team Meeting is on Tuesday 18th January.

4 September    Artificial Grass

The new play area with its artificial grass received the seal of approval when members of stmixkids.com used it on 4th September - and Colchester Rotary Club were on hand to enjoy the moment. That gave us the opportunity to thank President Pat Driver and Mrs Jean Driver for the Club's generous gift towards the cost of the artificial grass.

3 September    Big Lottery Fund - we put a face to the name!

It's well over over three years since the Myland Parish Halls Modernisation Project Board contacted the Big Lottery Fund, and made our initial approach to them for funding from their Community Buildings Programme. Throughout that time, their Case Officer has been in regular contact; we've spoken at length over the telephone and by email, and of course exchanged several large documents, complicated spreadsheets and lengthy reports. Even though the building is now in regular use, the Fund retains a keen interest, and we are currently compiling the information for our end-of-year report, showing the success of the refurbished Halls over our first year of operation.

Just recently, both parties had the opportunity to "put a face to the name" when Red John Chandler attended a review meeting with managers of other Projects, and met our Case Officer Sarah Hanson. Needless to say, John carried with him to the meeting the sincere thanks and best wishes of all the Project Board, the Halls Management Team and the many hundreds of people they represent. Here's a photo - good so see you, Sarah - and thank you again!

26 August    New contact details for Myland Playgroup - Diane Woodrow, 07544 830780. Email her at mylandplaygroup@gmail.com

It won't be long now before all our Groups are working at full speed again after the Summer break - in the meantime, lots of post has been delivered to the Halls, so make sure you look in your pigeonholes next time you call in!

24 July The artificial grass has been laid - here's the pictorial story! Our thanks to all who contributed too the cost of this valuable facility, which many of our User Organisations will now enjoy - as well as our clergy (scroll on down....!)

21 July Today was a massive milestone in the life of Myland Parish Halls. Di Powell, who has led, managed and directed Myland Playgroup for (we think it's) 27 years, has bowed out, and the Playgroup will be in the capable hands of a new manager when it reopens after the summer holidays. Di would not say that there would be no Halls without her, but we can say with certainty that her enthusiasm and expertise have ensured that the Playgroup have been the major hirer of the Halls for all those years, and Di herself played an important role in the specification of the facilities we now enjoy at the Halls. Added to that, the artificial grass was her idea and the Playgroup have raised significant funds for the project - so it's great to see it happening right now. Thank you, Di, for all you have done - from the Halls Management Team, the Modernisation Project Board and all of us at St. Michael's.

17 July Girlguiding Myland and the Youth Group have been slaving away, making the gardens around the Halls look very attractive indeed! Here's the result of all their efforts:

Myland Parish Halls are part of St. Michael's Church, Registered Charity no. 1130020

and a member of the Rural Community Council of Essex

& Community Matters (The National Federation of Community Organisations)