Help us reach our fundraising goal! 

How much do we need? 

In November 2024 we asked our Quantity Surveyors to update their cost estimates based on the plans approved by Waverley in September. They told us we need £1.6m. This includes VAT at 20%, a 10% contingency and inflation at 7% for building works to start in January 2026 and to take up to a year. We hope that detailed design and competition between builders will reduce this but, of course, cannot guarantee that it will.

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When will we know if the project is going ahead?

In Spring 2025, we hope. We need the full financing in place before we move to the next stages: detailed design, tendering to four local contractors and construction.

 

Where is the money coming from?

We have applied for £0.98m from the Surrey County Council Your Fund. The balance of £0.62m will come from private donors, the Parish Council, Trusts, including the Wonersh Foundation, and fundraising events.

 

How are we getting on?

We have secured pledges of over £0.5m. This includes £0.1m from our Parish Council, following an overwhelming vote in favour in the community in June 2023, and £20,000 from the Wonersh Foundation. But the great majority is pledges from very generous individuals in the village, plus the Gift Aid that many of their donations will attract. These can be paid in up to 31 May 2027 when we expect final payments to builders will fall due.

 

Naturally, many pledgers want to know that their donations will be used for the design approved by the planners. So, donations are being put in a separate account for the project and will not be spent until we are clear that the project will proceed. Gift Aid will be claimed after we know the project is going ahead. If we do not succeed in raising the money we need, then we will consult those who have made pledges for the redevelopment fund about alternative plans and can return any money already paid in if they wish.

 

The Surrey County Council 'Your Fund'

But there are two crucial extra pieces to complete our case. An online survey of community views called ‘Have Your Say’ which will run on the Surrey County Council ‘Common Place’ website through January. Please do have your say. It only takes a couple of minutes: https://yourfundsurreyproposals.commonplace.is/en-GB/proposals/shamley-green-village-hall-redevelopment/step1

 

And over the next 3 months we need to close the remaining financing gap. The more we raise ourselves, the easier it will be to persuade Surrey that our community is committed to the project. And, of course, we need to close the gap for the project to be viable.

 

Surrey County Council staff will assess our bid and ask us any questions that they may have over the next 2-3 months. Assuming they don’t find major gaps in our bid, we understand that a final decision will be taken by the Surrey CC Cabinet in March/April 2025. Our Surrey Councillor, Kevin Deanus, strongly supports our bid as does our MP, Jeremy Hunt.

 

Where will the rest of the money come from?

'Buy a Brick', Build a Legacy

The Shamley Green Village Hall 'Buy-a-Brick' Campaign is GO! The soft launch was only a fortnight ago and we have already raised 22% of the campaign’s goal, that’s over £2,150 in the first 14 days. A massive thanks to everyone who’s shown their love and support already.

 

In 2025 bricks are the perfect Valentine’s, birthday or anniversary gift, a lasting way to remember a loved one, and it’s good to know bricks definitely have fewer calories than Easter eggs too! Donating a brick creates a real legacy in the heart of Shamley Green and shows your support for the Arbuthnot Hall redevelopment. 

 

Donating a brick ensures your name is registered and displayed in the Hall. Every gift makes you a Friend of Arbuthnot Hall (except for donors who’d like to remain anonymous). Please follow the link to find out further details. 

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Hit the link Donate to Support Shamley Green Village Hall redevelopment Buy-a-Brick and click to gift £50 to 'Buy-a-Brick' ensuring you send a message if you would like a different name displayed as the lucky brick’s recipient on our register. Of course please donate whatever you would like, but for this particular campaign we’ll register brick donations in multiples of £50. See the Hall’s website for T&Cs.

 

But perhaps you’re thinking bigger than a brick or two? If you’d like to adopt an area of the hall for a more sizeable donation the Chair would love to discuss what might be possible, please contact Jon Watson at: chair@arbuthnothall.org

 

Spread the word by spreading the link to your friends and contacts. Thank you for supporting the 'Buy-a-Brick' Campaign for the Arbuthnot Hall redevelopment.

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More Donations

We know that more people in the village are considering making a pledge of support. We still need you. And if you would like to leave the Hall a bequest, as some kind people have done, we would be very happy to talk to you. Please contact Jon Watson on chair@arbuthnothall.org

 

Trusts

We already have a generous pledge from the Wonersh Foundation and will apply next to the Bernard Sunley and Garfield Weston Foundations, both of which support community projects like ours.

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Friend of Arbuthnot Hall

Become a Friend of  Arbuthnot Hall. This is a scheme preferably for regular donations, which attract Gift Aid at 25% as the Hall is a registered charity.  Follow link for details including benefits . Since its launch in 2023, this scheme has raised over £30,000.​

Please contact our Secretary, Paulina Bayliss, by email: secretary@arbuthnothall.org for more information.

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Fundraising Events

The proceeds from some new and some previously planned events will contribute to the Hall Redevelopment Fund. These include:

 

Valentine Dance

Spring Brocante

Quiz Night

An Evening with Paul Smith & Gala showing of Slumdog Millionaire

The Village Fete and Fun Dog Show (all 2025 proceeds to do to the Hall Redevelopment project)

Barn Dance

Celebrity Cricket Match (most likely in 2026)

Sponsored walk

Racenight

 

We aim to raise an additional £50,000 through these events. Please support our efforts by attending them and spreading the word.

 

We need your help!

If you would like to join our Fundraising team or have ideas for fundraising please contact Jon Watson on chair@arbuthnothall.org.

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