About Dry Drayton Village Hall
Our History
Founded as the Dry Drayton Village Institute in 1927, the original wooden hall stood for more than 40 years. It was a surplus hospital hut purchased for £70 after World War I. When the hut fell into disrepair in the 1960s, the village demolished it and raised £5,000 to replace it. The resulting current hall opened in 1967.
The brick building originally featured a flat-roofed entryway, a single function room and a kitchen. Alterations since then include the addition of two back rooms (late 1980s), supporting buttresses at the front (1996), an improved entryway with accessible toilets (2002) and a modernised kitchen (2014).
Volunteers Welcome
The village hall depends on volunteers, whether to provide a light bit of gardening, help with fundraisers or serve on the management committee. To get involved, contact Chair David Alexander at ddvhchair@gmail.com.
The grand opening of Dry Drayton Village Hall in 1967. A thatched barn stood in place of Searles Meadow.
The Committee
Dry Drayton Village Hall is a registered charity (Reg. No. 300382). A volunteer committee manages the hall. The board includes elected board members and representatives from community groups.
The elected board members also serve as trustees for the charity. The trustees/elected board members for 2022-23 are:
David Alexander, Chair
David moved to Dry Drayton in 2021. He's been involved with the village since 1986, when his father Ian first moved here. He is retired, having been a university lecturer and consultant in cryptography and cyber security. David is author of a textbook on cyber security that has been in print since 2006. Contact David at ddvhchair@gmail.com.
Carolyn Purser, Secretary
Contact Carolyn at ddvhsecretary@gmail.com.
Adrian Peck, Treasurer
Adrian grew up in Dry Drayton. It was his father, Dr Irving Peck, who led the effort to build the current village hall. Adrian is director of Bushel & Company Ltd. Contact Adrian at ddvhtreasurer@gmail.com.
Sue Carlisle, Customer Care
A resident since 2004, Sue lives in Dry Drayton with her husband, son and grandson. She took on the Customer Care position to help grow the hall's bookings and take care of its customers. Sue wants to make sure your event is as good as it can be. Contact Sue at drydraytonhallbookings@gmail.com.
Liz Challis, Member
Cinnamon Bair, Co-Opted
An American, Cinnamon made her first visit to Dry Drayton in 1991. Twenty-two years later, she and her husband became village residents. Cinnamon volunteers with the School & Village Association, and the village marquee team.