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2008

Massey's Folly Provisional Floor Plans

April Consultation Meeting Rep

September AGM report

REPORT FROM THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF MASSEY'S FOLLY PRESERVATION TRUST HELD ON SEPTEMBER 24th 2008

We have achieved an enormous amount when you realise where we began at the start of last year
By last year's AGM we had re-formed our committee and started to build a membership base and 'Friends group.
Thanks to grant aid from the Architectural Heritage Fund, we were able to benefit from expert knowledge through the mentor they provided, David Trevis Smith. Without his invaluable advice and guidance we would not be where we are now.
In fact we have continued to be much indebted to him ever since then for providing the support needed by our Project Organiser

We sent tenders out for and instructed a firm of Conservation Architects to produce the Conservation Management Plans and everything else required by the Heritage Lottery Fund in order to apply for restoration funding.
Bringing this about in itself was hugely time consuming and for many of us an enormous learning curve but also satisfying

The Consultations with the villagers and interested parties took place as required and were most useful.
Radley House's production of the Conservation Plan and the various sections is excellent and beautifully presented; an astonishing and invaluable piece of work. Thanks must go to them. They made it so easy for us to work with them and the help they gave in return.

The AHF and HLF grants for the administration and Project worker's salary being in place we were able, in October, to employ Geoff Cumbers as our Project Organiser. . This has been a great help and eased the burden previously carried by the Trustees.

In accordance with advice from the Funding bodies we set up a Steering Group consisting of representatives from the Village Hall Committee and ourselves as well as interested parties from the village. This is working well as a forum for 'sharing information' .Special thanks to Chrys for taking on the chairmanship of this as well as a host of other responsibilities
This is another case of ask a busy woman. Luckily for us she has yet to know the word 'No' or the phrase 'I haven't time.!!

The Heritage Open Day needs a special mention because of the 376 signed in visitors many of whom went away full of positive feelings, an interest in being involved and for us a good number of very useful contacts made. Once again thanks go to Chrys and Roger and the incredible team of people Chrys organised to make the day such a grand success

New members have joined us during the year and will be registered at the meeting

Mark Norris has agreed to take over the role of Company Secretary as from this meeting since Keith Burgess has found it hard to give as much time to the position as he had hoped

The offer of the loan from AHF has been re-issued. This will now cover the cost of purchasing both halves of the Folly adjusted according to the valuation reports,.

The negotiations with Osbornes are continuing and as I write we are still awaiting a reply to our latest offer. This is also the case with the Village Hall Management Committee.
The surveyor has provided them both with an adjusted valuation following the repair costs and it is these figures on which he based his negotiations with them for the purchase of both their halves individually.

Geoff Cumbers and Chrys are now deeply involved in the arduous task of preparing the final Application documents to the Architectural Heritage Fund and The Heritage Lottery Fund for the cost of the Restoration project itself.

Financially, we have just about managed to meet our commitments through John's clever handling. It is made especially difficult at times because much of the funding comes in retrospectively. We have fortunately managed to remain in the black so far.

Since we, MFPT promised the Village that we were not intending for them to bear the financial burden we are however hoping that any or all of you will search out ideas and sources to whom we may apply for funds. We need to find 25% to match the 75% offered by the HLF. It is important and worth noting that quite a bit of this 25% doesn't have to be cash but can be in the form of volunteer time at up to 350 pounds per day, so it isn't as bad as it looks!
.We know there are a myriad ways that money can be found if one only looks "outside the box" It is important to go to the top not just to a nameless faceless individual.

Chry is putting together an information leaflet which can be handed out at functions or …… .sent with letters.
…… .I am creating, with help, a CD which can be sent out to prospective, interested …… ……..people showing a warts and all picture of what we are up against and what we want to … .achieve.

Maybe Damian Hirst might feel it fun to be involved with yet another quirky idea!

So there is a start. If we can find someone who has been closely involved with ……..professional fundraising and who would be willing to guide us that would be wonderful.

I would like at this stage to express our thanks to our main funding bodies: in particular the Heritage Lottery Fund, and the Architectural Heritage Fund. Thanks are also due to the Hampshire County and East Hampshire Councils, for without their support we would not have achieved as much as we have.

Finally, I would here like to say a particularly big thank you to all the Trustees and members for what has been achieved this year but most especially for the support they have given me and their patience in doing so.

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