In March 1921 the Oddfellows decided to build a Memorial Hall to all who served in the Great War. A building in Clitheroe was bought for £276, dismantled by employees of HJ Berry Ltd, transported by Tweedy and Co to Chipping where it was rebuilt on land at Club Meadow belonging to the Oddfellows. The grand opening ceremony was held on 3rd December 1921.
The building was well used for many activities and was the location for a Dinner Dance on May 25th 1945 to celebrate Victory in Europe. After the Second World War, ownership of the hall passed from the Oddfellows to the trustees of Chipping and District Memorial Hall Fund. £1500 had been raised by subscription from the inhabitants of Chipping and Leagram with Little Bowland so that they could buy the hall to use as a Village Hall subject to the Oddfellows being allowed to hold 13 meetings a year in it. The purpose of the Village Hall was to use it 'for social meetings or other social or recreational purposes' for the inhabitants of the two parishes, for their 'social, moral and intellectual development'. A Village Hall management committee was set up and each local organisation had a representative on this committee. A new extension was built and opened in 1956. The hall continued to be used regularly up until the late 1990s.
Fundraising for a new hall began and one of the early events was a gathering of steam engines which took place at The Talbot Hotel – this was the origin of the now very successful Chipping Steam Fair. The new hall was built on land owned by Chipping Parish Council and was opened on the 14th November 1999 by Mr Jack Berry MBE.
With thanks to Chipping Local History Society – a full article about the history of the hall written by Alice Whitwell can be found in the 1997 edition of Longer Sen on the History Society website.
Charity number: 521070
The hall is run by a team of trustees and a hall manager. The Trustees are appointed by organisations that use the hall plus elected members. The current list of Trustees as registered with the Charities Commission is listed below. Organisations that use the hall but have not appointed a Trustee are encouraged to do so.
Trustees are the people responsible for controlling the work, management and administration of the charity on behalf of its beneficiaries.
TRUSTEES
Ms Theresa Eveson (Chair - Chipping Amateur Theatrical Society, CATS) | Mr Robert Fenton (Treasurer) | Mr Simon Hore (St Bartholomew's Church) |
Mr Martin Butters (Chipping Area Over Sixties, CHAOS) | Mrs Mary Harrison (Chipping Steam Fair) | Mr Paul Hunt (Chipping Show) |
Mr Kevin Kelsall (Chipping Congregational Church) | Mrs Ann Walmsley (Badminton) | Mr Edward Berry (Chipping Young Farmers Club) |
Ms Claire Davies (Bowland with Leagram Parish Council) | Mrs Hazel Craig (Chipping Steam Fair) | Mr Mark Ross (Chipping Footbal Club) |
Ms Clare Compton (Brabin's School) | Mrs Laura Hunt (WI) | Mr David Walmsley (Chipping Parish Council) |