Man Friday and Swimming with Men!

Its all about the Men on Friday.

Friday morning see`s the fortnightly Man Friday taking place in the Village Hall Match room from 10.a.m until Noon. A warm and welcoming space for menfolk to meet up and have a good chat with unlimited hot drinks and biscuits for £3.00. Cards, dominoes and scrabble are also available.

On Friday evening Gargrave Cinema club will be showing the 2018 Comedy film Swimming with Men. When accountant Eric seeks to win back his wife, he stumbles upon a solution by joining a local male synchronised swimming team as they train for the World Championships in Milan. The leading actors are Rob Brydon, Jane Horrocks, Rupert Graves, Daniel Mays, Thomas Turgoose and Jim Carter.

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 commencing at 7.30.p.m. Tickets are £5.00 on the door ( cash only please ), accompanied under sixteen year olds are free. Sorry but only guide dogs can be allowed into this event. All proceeds from the Film nights go towards the running costs of the Community Library.

Coffee morning

The first Coffee morning of the New Year will be held on Saturday in the main Hall. Please come along and enjoy bacon sandwiches, toasted teacakes and an array of homemade cakes . The event is hosted jointly between Gargrave Village Hall Management Committee and Gargrave Library Committee. A Book and Bric a Brac stall will raise funds for the Village Hall and proceeds from the Raffle will aid Library funds. Open 10.a.m – Noon. Everyone welcome. Card or cash payments accepted.

Collectable and Craft Fair

Firstly on the agenda this weekend is the return of the Man Friday and Yes you`ve guessed- its on Friday! A Gents social morning with lots of chat and unlimited hot drinks and biscuits which are included in the £3 admission charge. The meet up is held in the Match room which is a warm and welcoming space, access is via the kitchen door with an immediate right turn on entry. Dominoes, cards and scrabble are also available. 10.a.m until Noon. Please come along and enjoy meeting new and old friends.

The first Collectable and Craft Fair of 2026 will be held in the Village Hall and side room on Sunday from 9.30.a.m until 3.30.p.m. Please pop in earlier if it fits in better with your days plans as most stalls are open for 9.a.m. There will be a great selection of stalls selling Antiques, Vintage, Bric a Brac, Books, Pictures, Gifts, Small furniture, Jewellery, Wax melts, Jigsaws and Crafts. There will also be a Tombola raising funds for the Cats Protection League and stalls raising funds for Manorlands Hospice and the Village Hall itself. A plant stall will compliment the varied line up. Food available all day. Enquiries 07989 585564. Please call or message that number if you would like a pocket booklet posting which lists  all the 2026 Fair dates.

A Happy New Year…. Music change

The first Picnic supper dance of the New Year will be held on Friday 9th January. Lancashire Organist Elizabeth Harrison was scheduled to play but unfortunately has had to cancel due to the weather report ( she travels from Blackpool). However the evening of dancing will still go ahead courtesy of  our own Gargrave couple Cath and Richard who host the popular tea dances at the Village Hall. The music commences at 7.30.p.m until 11.p.m. Please bring along your own Picnic supper. Tea and Coffee will be provided in the interval. Admission is £6.00 per person, cash only please.

The regular dancers are looking forward to trying out the newly re-furbished sprung maple floor which has been sanded, sealed and lacquered over the New Year period. It was quite a mammoth job but looks amazing.

The first Collectable and Craft Fair of the New Year will be held on the 18th January and the First Man Friday of the year returns on the 16th January (  a social morning for men, unlimited hot drinks and biscuits and a chance to have a good chat, cards, dominoes and scrabble available but generally the chaps are too busy chatting )!

Happy Christmas to one and all….

Members of Gargrave Village Hall Management Committee would like to wish all their  Hirers, Users and Visitors to the Village Hall a very Happy and Healthy Christmas. We thank you for all your support during the past year.

A huge thank you to Harry and his  musicians who provided the entertainment at the Christmas Coffee morning on Saturday 20th December, special thanks to the youngsters who played so impressively.

The  Twixmas tea dance will be held on Sunday December 28th from 2-4.p.m. The music for Popular Sequence dances will be provided by the hosts, Richard and Cath. Admission is £3.00 per person on the door, cash only please. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be provided in the interval. All proceeds to the Village Hall.

Please note there will be no access to the main hall from the the 1st January until the 6th January due to extensive work to the sprung maple floor. This will not affect access to classes and meetings in the Annexe or Match room.

 

A Christmas weekend of entertainment……

The last Man Friday of the year will take place on Friday morning ( 19th December ). A great opportunity for local Gentleman to meet up for a good social chat with unlimited tea, coffee , biscuits and mince pies included in the £3.00 charge. Cards. dominoes and scrabble available, also access to the table tennis room if wished. Venue: Match room ( access via the back door ), 10.a.m until Noon.

Man Friday returns in 2026  on the 16th January.

Gargrave Cinema club will be showing a romantic comedy on Friday evening in the Village Hall. The Holiday is about two lovelorn women from either side of the Atlantic who, in an attempt to escape heartache, agree to swop homes over the Christmas holiday period. As their unexpected holiday romances unfold, they learn valuable lessons about love, self worth and finding happiness. Stars Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law and Jack Black. 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 each on the door, cash only please. Accompanied under sixteens are free. Sorry but only guide dogs can be allowed to this event. All proceeds from the film nights go towards the running costs of the Community Library.

The Cinema club returns in 2026 on the 30th January with another comedy – Swimming with Men.

Local accordion players will be providing live on stage music at the Coffee morning on Saturday, led by  Craven Accordions Harry Hinchcliffe there is sure to be a fantastic selection of music on offer. Cafe style seating with table service from 10.a.m until Noon. On the menu will be bacon sandwiches, sausage sandwiches, toasted teacakes and a great selection of homemade cakes ( slices may be purchased to takeaway). The event is organised jointly between Gargrave Village Hall Management Committee and Gargrave Library Committee. A raffle will raise funds for the Library and the Library 100 Club Christmas draw will also be taking place.

The first Coffee morning of 2026 will be held on the 24th January.

Picnic supper dance.

Cath and Richard will be providing a great range of music for  Popular sequence dances at the Picnic supper dance on Friday evening ( 12th December ). The music commences at 7.30.p.m until 11.p.m. Please bring along your own Picnic supper, tea and coffee will be provided in the interval. Admission is £6.00 per person on the door, cash only please.

Cath and Richard will be back on Sunday 28th December with their afternoon Twixmas tea dance, 2-4.p.m.

A big thank you to everyone who came along to the Book Fair on Saturday ( next one Saturday 7th March 2026 ) and to the Collectable and Craft Fair on Sunday ( next one Sunday 18th January ). A total of 300 people visited the Hall over the busy weekend.

Don`t forget our Christmas Coffee morning on Saturday 20th December when we will be delighted to welcome Harry Hinchcliffe and his local accordion players. They will be playing on stage whilst everyone enjoys bacon and sausage sandwiches, toasted teacakes and homemade cakes. Cafe style seating and table service. Library 100 club Christmas draw and raffle.

A Christmas shopping weekend…

Come along to Gargrave Village Hall on both Saturday and Sunday for a pleasant shopping experience, no high street crowds, everything under one roof, dry and warm and no car park charges! Food available all day, each day. A plant stall will be selling seasonal plants and wreaths on both days too.

The perfect book gift(s) can be found on Saturday when a Book Fair will be taking place from 10.a.m until 3.30.p.m. The Hall will be full to capacity with book sellers from all over the North West of England selling their stock. There will be general paperbacks and hardbacks through to rare and antiquarian volumes. 50p admission.

So much to choose from on Sunday at the last Collectable and Craft Fair of the year, Antiques, Collectables, Vintage, Bric a Brac, Small furniture, Books, Jigsaws, New gifts and Accessories, Jewellery, Wax melts, Candles, Felted Pictures, and Artwork from a local Artist. Literally something for everyone on your Christmas present list. A great selection of affordable items.Open 9.30.a.m until 3.30.p.m. Please pop in earlier if it fits in better with your days plans as most stallholders are ready for business by 9.a.m. 50p admission.

Calling all Gents, wind back the clocks to Friday and call in at the Village Hall between 10.a.m until Noon to enjoy a social chat , play cards, dominoes or scrabble. Unlimited hot drinks and biscuits are included in the £3.00 charge. The collection of old Gargrave postcards will be available to browse again if you missed seeing them a fortnight ago. Access for those new to the Village is via the back door and turn an immediate right for entry into the Match room, which was originally the home for the Snooker club match play table. This is a warm welcoming space for our relatively  newly formed Man Friday club. Come along and meet new friends or enjoy a catch up with old friends.

A quiet weekend….

Unfortunately we have had to cancel the scheduled Mr. and Mrs. Competition and the Pie and Pea supper which was due to have taken place on Saturday due to lack of interest.

Lots to keep everyone entertained next weekend commencing 5th December, Man Friday ( 5th ), Book Fair ( 6th ) and last Collectable Fair of the year ( 7th ). Further details on my next update in a weeks time.

Glad the menfolk enjoyed seeing the collection of old Gargrave postcards at the Man Friday morning on the 21st November, it was a real blast from the past. Two more man Fridays before Christmas on the 5th and 19th December, probably some mince pies as well as biscuits on the 19th. Everyone welcome, the morning is not just for Villagers but for all menfolk in the area who want a chat, games of cards, scrabble, dominoes even table tennis. £3.00 for unlimited hot drinks and biscuits. Warm and comfortable room. Access via the back door, immediate turn right and into the match room.

Man Friday and the Gargrave Cinema club – The Lad.

It sounds like a real male orientated weekend coming up with Man Friday ( Friday morning ) and The Lad showing on Friday evening!

Man Friday our new fortnightly social morning for men will be held on Friday morning in the Match room, This is a warm welcoming room accessed via the back door with an immediate turn right on entry. Open 10.a.m until Noon. An opportunity for a Mens get together to just chat, play cards, dominoes or scrabble. There is also the chance for a game of table tennis in an adjoining room. Admission is £3.00 which includes an unlimited supply of hot drinks and biscuits. Last fortnight, interest was shown especially by those new to the area,  in listening to some of the memories of how the Village was years ago . With this in mind  a collection of old postcards will be brought along and these can be looked at , hopefully there will be some books about the Village too, one or two of the latter may be available to buy with proceeds going towards Hall funds. Come along and make new friends , especially if you are new to the area. All welcome.

Gargrave Cinema club will be screening A Lad, a Yorkshire story on Friday evening at the Village Hall. This enchanting film, set in the Dales around Settle, tells the story of how the lad`s troubled life is turned around when he meets and works with a Parks Ranger. This was one of the first films shown at the Hall back in 2014 when the young actor ,Settle lad, Bretten Lord came along to the film for a question and answer session. The organisers are hopeful that Bretten will return on Friday and give an insight on how he went from local Panto to film stardom before returning to Settle and his Antiques business.

The customary Cafe style seating will be in place so please bring your own refreshments. The doors open at 7.p.m for the film beginning at 7.30.p.m. Tickets are £5.00 on the door ( cash only please ) with accompanied under sixteens free. Sorry but only guide dogs can be allowed to this event. All proceeds from the Film nights go towards the running costs of the community Library.