The Village Hall
The Village Hall (formerly the local school) and the parcel of land it stands on was purchased for £1 from the West Riding of Yorkshire County Council by Sykehouse Parish Council. The property and land is held upon trust for the purpose of a Village Hall for the use of the inhabitants of the Parish of Sykehouse without distinction of political, religious or other opinions, including use for meetings, lectures, classes and for other forms of recreation or leisure-time occupation, with the object of improving the conditions of life for villagers.
The Parish Council is the Custodian Trustee of the Village Hall which is administered by the Village Hall & Recreation Field Committee who are the management and charity trustees.
The Committee consists of elected members & representative members and may include up to 3 co-opted members. Representative members are appointed by the following organisations based in Sykehouse:
* Parish Council
* Show Committee
* Women’s Institute
* Cricket Club
* Line Dancers
* Parochial Church Council
* Mothers Union
* Mothers & Toddlers
* Whist Drive
The Committee is currently involved in an ambitious project to refurbish and extend the Village Hall. It is hoped to obtain funding to allow the first phase of the development to start early in 2006, the building will be fully refurbished and updated to include a new entrance, improved kitchen & toilet facilities, a further meeting room, IT facilities and much needed storage. The second phase will see the addition of male & female changing facilities with the third phase providing a conservatory/meeting room with views to the cricket field & play area currently being developed.
This non-scale plan shows how the enlarged Village Hall will look, with the extension on the right-hand side housing additional meeting rooms, toilets & changing facilities. The field to the rear of the Hall, which was purchased in 2003 with funding provided through local housing development in the village, is currently undergoing transformation into a cricket pitch and formal & informal play/recreational areas. The Parish Council has obtained funding for play equipment and is working with the Village Hall Committee to ensure it meets the needs of the children of Sykehouse. It is hoped the cricket pitch will be ready for use within 2 years and the local Cricket Club will use the new pitch & changing facilities at the Village Hall, allowing them to enter the local cricket league – something they are unable to do with their present pitch.