Happy New Year.

Members of Gargrave Village Hall Management Committee wish all their hirers, class members and users of the Hall a very Happy New Year

A big thank you to Cath and Richard who  welcomed dancers to the Village Hall for the Twixmas tea dance which was held last week. The weather was atrocious but it did not stop the hardy dancers attending the event when music from the musicals and movies was thoroughly enjoyed.All proceeds will be kindly donated to Village Hall funds.

A very small number of Calendars of In and around Gargrave are still available to purchase at £10.00 each. They are available from the Village Library on Tuesday 10.a.m – Noon, Wednesday 2-4.p.m, Friday 2-4.p.m and Saturday 10.a.m – Noon. Proceeds after costs will be donated to Village Hall funds. Alternately please call 07989 585564 if you would like to reserve one, only eight remaining.

A Calendar for under the tree!

Lynn and Caroline who are both involved with the work at the Village Hall have produced a calendar featuring photographs of In and around Gargrave. Both enjoy walking and taking photographs along the way, after they have paid the production costs they will be donating any proceeds to Gargrave Village Hall. A limited edition were printed and they have been on sale over the past two weeks, there will be the opportunity to buy one at both the film show on Friday evening ( 15th December ) or at the Coffee morning on Saturday ( 16th December ). They are also for sale in the library during opening hours and most days at the Village Hall with access via the kitchen door where they can be found on a sales table with a cash tin ( emptied daily ) for sales nearby. Alternately please call 07989 585564. The calendars are priced at £10.00 each. They hope the calendars give the recipients the same pleasure that it gave them when taking the photographs.

Gargrave Cinema Club will be showing the film “Nativity” on Friday evening, the ultimate Christmas feel good film for the whole family. The main characters are played by Martin Freeman, Ashley Jenson and Pam Ferris. The customary Cafe style seating will be in place so please bring your own refreshments. The Village Hall doors open at 7.p.m with the film starting at 7.30.p.m. Tickets are £5.00 on the door with accompanied under sixteens free. Sorry but only guide dogs are allowed in the Hall when films are shown. All proceeds from the evening go towards the cost of running the community Library.

A Coffee morning organised jointly by Gargrave Village Hall Management Committee and Gargrave Library will be held on Saturday morning from 10.a.m until Noon. Bacon sandwiches, toasted teacakes and lots of homemade cakes will be on the menu. A raffle will aid Library funds and proceeds from a Book and Bric a Brac stall will go toward Village Hall funds. The bumper 100 club Library draw will also be taking place.

All our thanks are extended to Harry and the members of the Craven Accordion band who played a delightful medley of tunes at the Collectable and Craft Fair which was held last Sunday at the Hall. It created a lovely festive feel to the day. The event was so well attended too which is great when there are so many other things happening in the area. Thank you to everyone who comes along to our Fairs, especially all our regular visitors, wonderful to see the friendships which have sprung up through the visits and special thanks to the lovely people who tell us that they really appreciate our wonderful venue. It makes all those voluntary hours seem worthwhile, we appreciate their thanks more than they realise.

Gargrave is open for business!

Yes the Village of Gargrave is open for business all weekend. It appears that the plans to repair the bridge at Coniston Cold ( a couple of miles North of Gargrave on the A65) on Sunday have now been put on hold to a later date.

However before Sunday we shall be holding the last Picnic supper dance of the year with live music from Lancashire musician Alan Cookson on Friday evening the 8th December. Please bring along your own Picnic supper. Tea and Coffee will be served in the interval. The music will commence at 7.30.p.m until 11.p.m. A raffle will be held to aid funds. The calendars of In and around Gargrave will be for sale at £10 each ( proceeds after costs will go to Village Hall funds) Admission is £6.00 per person on the door.

Don`t forget the Twixt Tea dance, which will be held between Christmas and the New Year on Wednesday 27th December 2-4.p.m. All the popular sequence dances with music from the movies and musicals. Hosted by Cath and Richard. Admission £3.00 to include tea and biscuits. Proceeds kindly donated to Village Hall funds.

The biggest and best Collectable and Craft Fair of the year will be held on Sunday (10th December ) from 9.30.a.m until 3.30.p.m. Light refreshments available until 3.p.m. The hall will be full to capacity with stalls and Bethany will be selling Christmas wreaths and plants in the Foyer and outside the main door. Stalls selling Vintage, Collectable, Bric a Brac, Books, Jewellery, Jigsaws, Gifts and Crafts, some new stallholders will be in attendance. The Craven Accordion orchestra will be playing live on stage from Noon, so come along browse and buy whilst listening to the festive music or alternately sit down and enjoy some refreshments as the music plays.  Gargrave Calendars on sale too!

A Book gift ( or books ) for Christmas – or a calendar! And a book signing by local author.

The last Book Fair of the year will be held on Saturday ( 2nd December ) commencing at 10.a.m until 3.30.p.m. There will be hundreds of books for sale on every subject, ranging from general fact and fiction hardbacks and paperbacks   to speciality and antiquarian volumes. Ilkley author, Alan Reynolds hopes to attend, weather permitting. He will be promoting and signing copies of his latest book, a supernatural thriller entitled Pendle Cottage. Alan has written fifteen books in total and will also have some of these with him.Light refreshments will be available until 3.p.m. Admission is just 50p or by donation. The pocket booklets listing all next years Fairs including Flea Market and Craft Fairs will be available on the door or if you would like one posting please email info@gargravevillagehall.org.uk or telephone 07989 585564.

The calendars will be on sale which feature views of in and around Gargrave, the photographs have been taken by Lynn and Caroline from the Village Hall and after paying production costs they will be donating proceeds to Village Hall funds. Caroline will be selling the calendars on her book stall which is the first stall by the door. The calendars are a limited edition and are priced at £10.00. They are also on sale in the Village library during opening hours and at the next Flea Market on Sunday 10th December and the Coffee morning on Saturday 16th December.

Last week we were delighted to welcome Bethany to the Flea Market and Craft Fair. Bethany is a Village girl who recently closed her florists shop in Gargrave. She is a welcome addition to our regular stallholders and will be selling a great selection of plants, flowers and floral gifts outside the Hall when Collectable  and Book Fairs are held. We are hoping she will be there on Saturday , other commitments allowing. Please come along and see the Christmas wreaths and plants for both the home and garden.

A gift for Christmas – read on…..

In the Spring a couple of our Village Hall ladies aired the idea of producing a calendar to raise funds for the Village Hall. Both Lynn our amazing housekeeper at the Hall and Caroline who is involved with the running of the premises enjoy photography. They chose twelve photographs of the changing seasons which were taken just in and around the village and they are delighted to announce that  a limited edition of the calendar  will be delivered to them this weekend in time for selling at Broadway Fairs Collectable and Craft Fair on Sunday. Calendars will also be able to buy at the Book Fair on the 2nd December, the Collectables Fair ( the accordion group will be back to play on the afternoon of the event from noon , enjoy browsing whilst listening to the festive tunes ) on the 10th December and the Coffee morning on the 16th December. The calendars cost £10.00 and all proceeds after costs will go towards Village Hall funds. If you would like to pre-order please call 07989 585564 as once the calendars are gone, they are gone!!

Apart from calendars for sale on Sunday ( 26th November ), there will be a good selection of stalls selling Vintage, Collectables, Bric a Brac, Jigsaws, Books, Gifts and Crafts. There will also be stalls raising funds for the Cats Protection League and Manorlands. The event commences at 9.30.a.m until 3.30.p.m. Light refreshments available until 3.p.m. Admission 50p.

Another busy weekend…..

There will be lots to see at the Village Hall this weekend ( 17th – 19th November ) commencing with the Cinema Club film night on Friday with the showing of the award winning mystery drama Where the Crawdads sing. The story follows an abandoned yet defiant girl who raises herself to adulthood in a North Carolina marshland. The towns playboy is found dead and she becomes the prime suspect. Away from the great plot the scenery and wildlife shots are stunning. The door open at 7.p.m with the film commencing at 7.30.p.m. Admission is £5.00 on the door . Accompanied under sixteens are free. A raffle will raise funds for the community library. Cafe style seating will be in place so please bring your own refreshments.

Sheila from Broadway Fairs will be hosting the two day Craft and Christmas gift fair on Saturday and Sunday. There will be lots of unique items to purchase, a really good opportunity to do some Christmas shopping. Some stalls will be there over the two days but some will just be selling on the Saturday and some just on the Sunday. So please come along on both days as there will be changes of stock. The Village Hall committee will have a stall selling a range of Craft books. The Craven Accordion group will be kindly playing some live music on the stage on Saturday from around 2.p.m for an hour or so. Admission is just 50p on the door and light refreshments are available until 3.p.m each day. The opening times are 9.30.a.m until 3.30.p.m each day. Come along and enjoy the festive spirit and a great selection of gifts to purchase. 01757 229805.

Lots happening this weekend……

A very busy weekend at the Hall, commencing on Friday evening ( 10th November ) with a Picnic supper dance commencing at 7.30.p.m. The talented Lancashire Organist Elizabeth Harrison will be providing the live music. Please bring along your own picnic supper. Tea and Coffee will be provided in the interval. A raffle will aid Hall funds. Admission is £6.00 per person on the door.

A Coffee morning organised jointly between Gargrave Village Hall Management Committee and Gargrave Library will be held on Saturday morning. Bacon sandwiches, toasted teacakes and lots of homemade cakes will be on the menu. A raffle will aid Library funds and a Bric a Brac and Book stall will raise proceeds for the Village Hall.

The Management team will be back in action on Sunday when they host their Collectable and Craft Fair. There are new stallholders in attendance and the Hall is fully booked so there will be lots to see and buy. A great opportunity for some Christmas gift ideas with both affordable and unique items for sale. A great selection of goods ranging from Vintage, Collectable, Bric a Brac, Books, Jewellery, Jigsaws, Gifts and Crafts. Stalls will also be raising funds for the Cats Protection League, Manorlands and the Village Hall itself. Opening hours are 9.30.a.m until 3.30p.m. please call in earlier if it fits in better with your days plans as most stalls are set up by 9.a.m. Light refreshments available until 3.p.m. 50p admission. A two minutes silence will be observed at 11.a.m in remembrance of those who have lost their lives through conflict.

No public hires this weekend but lots to look forward to in the future…..

The Village Hall has no public events this weekend ( 3rd – 5th November ) but there are lots to look forward to as we venture ever nearer to the festive period.

Friday 10th November – Picnic supper dance with live music from the talented Organist Elizabeth Harrison.

Saturday 11th November – Coffee morning organised jointly with Gargrave Library Committee.

Sunday 12th November – Collectable and Craft Fair. A bumper event with some new stallholders in attendance/

Don`t forget the weekend of Christmas gifts and crafts run by Broadway Fairs on the 18th and 19th November. A great selection of unique items for sale . Live festive music in the background from the Craven Accordion group on the Saturday afternoon.

Flea Market and Craft Fair…..

Sheila of Broadway Fairs will be hosting a Flea Market and Craft Fair on Sunday ( 29th October ) from 9.30.a.m until 3.30.p.m. There will be lots of stalls selling a great assortment of goods ranging from Collectables, Vintage, Bric a Brac, Books, Jigsaws and Crafts. Light refreshments available until 3.p.m. 50p admission. 01757 229805.

Pocket booklets with the dates of all next years fairs will be available at the Fair on Sunday.

Remaining dates for 2023 are: 12th November, 26th November ( Broadway Fairs ) and 10th December ( festive music on the stage from 12-2.p.m. from the local accordion group) Craft Fair: 18th( the local accordion group will also be playing on the stage from 12-2.p.m ) and 19th November ( Broadway Fairs). 2nd December: Book Fair.

Film night and Coffee morning….

Gargrave Cinema club will be showing a British Comedy drama on Friday evening ( 20th October ) in the Village Hall. The Unlikely pilgrimage of Harold Fry ( this is also a brilliant book ) tells the story of an unremarkable man, who upon learning that an old friend is dying, walks from South Devon to Berwick on Tweed hoping that his journey can keep her alive. Starring Jim Broadbent, Monika Gossman and Linda Bassett. The customary Cafe style seating will be in place so please bring along your own refreshments. The Village Hall doors open at 7.p.m with the film starting at 7.30.p.m. Tickets are £5.00 on the door with accompanied under sixteens free. All proceeds from the film nights go towards the running costs for the Library. A raffle will also be held.

Future film nights for 2023: 17th November Where the Crawdads sing and 15th December Nativity.

Come along on Saturday morning and enjoy Bacon sandwiches, toasted teacakes and a selection of home made cakes. The Coffee morning will be run jointly by Gargrave Village Hall Management Committee and Gargrave Library Committee. A book and Bric a Brac stall will aid Village Hall funds and a raffle will raise funds for the Library. The 100 club draw will take place.