2008 has been a busy year. We have (nearly) finished a complete redecoration, inside and out, of both the Youth Centre and the Village Hall. This has been a mammoth job, taking many months and involving a multitude of people and organisations.

We started the job in February with a group of local Offenders undertaking Community service. They provided their services for free, whilst we provided the materials. Generally they did a good job, and we are most grateful to Surrey Probation Service for helping to organise the work and for providing us with so many willing helpers. However they were not able to do all of the work, and we relied heavily on a team of volunteers (ably orchestrated by Ben Tilly and Peter Moon) as well as the services of a professional decorator for some of the trickier areas.

The Committee would like to thank everyone who has contributed over the last few months; their effort has been really worthwhile. We now have two bright clean Halls, which (hopefully) won't need redecorating for several more years!

Our next task was to tackle the toilets in the Youth Centre. They were in a terrible state, with serious damp, poor sanitary ware, and were generally unhealthy and unwelcoming. They have now been given a thorough overhaul. We have identified and solved the damp (hopefully!) replaced the sanitary ware, installed a new disabled toilet and put in new flooring. We still need to do some decorating, but most of the work is now finished.

The Village Halls Committee is very grateful to a number of organisations including the Billmeir Trust, Elstead Parish Council and Waverley Borough Council for helping us raise the necessary funding. Without their support we would not have been able to improve these valuable Village assets. Thanks also go to Committee member Lu Cooper who has project managed the work for us and negotiated excellent terms with the contractors.

I hope you agree that the Village Halls are now much improved, and that you continue to enjoy the facilities they offer.

Of course our work is never complete and we have a further programme of maintenance works over the coming months. If you shop at Waitrose you may have noticed they currently support local good causes through their 'Community Matters' programme. Please pick up a leaflet and nominate the Elstead Village Halls. Your support would be much appreciated.

Tickets for Mamma Mia, our December film, were at a premium and Batchelors had sold out on the day tickets went on sale by 9.00 am!  Due to popular demand we will be showing Mamma Mia again on Friday 9^th January and tickets are now available from Batchelors Newsagents.

The audience were caught up in the magic of the Abba songs, and it was nice to have a light hearted film so near to Christmas.

On behalf of the Cinema Committee may I wish you all a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.