Chairlady

I have lived in the Rayleigh area all my life with the brief exception of living in Spain for 5 years.  I have been a dancer for the past 50 years and have taught many different styles including Ballroom and Latin American, line and sequence dancing.  I currently run Strollercise classes full-time and twice weekly at the Ashingdon Hall.  My strollers love the huge new amazing dance floor which is brilliant for any type of dancing.  Such a rarity and to think it’s right here on our doorstep! I very much look forward to running events to help fund the ongoing improvements in the hall!

Vice Chairman & Acting Treasurer 

I have been a Trustee of the hall since November 2019. I have been married to my wife Carol, who is also a trustee, for over 50 years. We have lived in Ashingdon for 40 years and our children and grandchildren also live in the area. Now retired, I worked in the printing and newspaper industry. I have served on the Ashingdon Parish Council for some years now and enjoy contributing to the community I live in. I am working with the new board of trustees on ways to improve the hall, it is a prime asset of the Parish.

Email: ViceChairman@ashingdonmemorialhall.uk

Legal Support

As Ashingdon Residents of nearly 30 years, my wife and I have loved being able to have the use of the hall and the park to assist us in bringing up our son and three daughters. 

I found myself the chair of a very talented and committed team who are doing their best to ensure the Ashingdon and East Hawkwell Memorial Hall is a village hall for our local community, run by our community, for the benefit of our community.  Moreover, our aim is that it should again be the venue of choice and a central hub for our community.

My aim since my election to the role of Chairman has been to bring the community together by bringing the hall back to it’s former glory so that my grandchildren can have the same pleasure. 

Bringing the hall back will be a big job, it needs a dedicated team, and it needs all of you, your views, your support and your time. It also needs money, lots of money, far more than has been achieved heretofore.  The new team have already secured two grants, one for equipment and one to repair and refurbish our beautiful dance floor.  We have some super plans and I am looking forward to sharing them with you.  I hope you will join us on our journey. 

Bookings Manager and Webmaster

I have been volunteering at the hall since February 2020.  I was initially a Trustee, I stood down in August 2022 and I am now a volunteer. 

I am a ICT computer technician by trade and have worked in the business since 1995.  I currently work as a Virtual Assistant to the hall and I run the online booking service and website which is a major job.

My passions are my family, Tai Chi (you will find me in the hall on a Tuesday evening teaching and practicing), Desk Top Publishing, Sugarcraft, Skiing, Crochet, BSL (which I am currently studying level 3 and have achieved level 1 and 2) and Signing Choir with Hands4Voices.

Helen can be contacted via the Hall’s booking email Bookings@ashingdonmemorialhall.uk

Fund Raising Events Organiser

An Ashingdon resident for 14 years with a total of 37 years living and working in the Rochford District. Dance Instructor with Mrs Dickie Bows School of Retro Dance and regular hall user. Retired from full time work, worked for Rochford District Council at Rayleigh and Rochford also local secondary school before moving on to a work based learning provider. However, Dance is where her heart lies. She has many years of dancing Jive and has taught many people to dance over the last 8 years within the local area being involved in many events locally for charity with display dancing. The floor in the Ashingdon Hall is amazing and definitely one of the best you will find in the area, there really are not many left of this size and quality. Very excited for the recent refurbishment of the floor and hope to see it put to its best use for the local community.

Trustee

I am a Retired Mechanical Engineer, Manager, Director and Linguist in the Aviation and Telecomms Industries.

My work was in the Aviation Industry with airlines and aircraft maintenance and in Telecoms, radio and radar with Marconi. In later years, I translated aviation technical manuals.

Trustee

I have been a Trustee since November 2019. I worked most of my life, apart from when I had my two sons, for a credit card processing company in Southend and Basildon. Having used the hall over many years for family celebrations it is quite close to my heart and it is sad see how it has deteriorated. I look forward to working with the other trustees in raising money and helping to improve the hall. I would appeal to all residents of Ashingdon and East Hawkwell to join in this effort to save the hall.  

Council Representative Trustee

I have lived in Hockley for 50 years, and have been a Ashingdon Parish Councillor for 4 years.

I am newly elected to be the Parish Councillor representing the Council on the board of Trustees for the Memorial Hall.

I look forward to supporting the other Trustees, in their sterling efforts to improve the hall and ensure it is a valuable asset to the local community.