Chelveston Village Hall

The Educational Foundation of Abigail Bailey and Ann Levett

Chelveston Village Hall is owned and run by a charitable trust - The Educational Foundation of Abigail Bailey and Ann Levett, originally setup in 1760 to fund the education of children in the parish.

The present building was constructed in 1864 and operated as a school until 1967. It became Chelveston Village Hall in 1972. School House next door, originally the school master's house, is still owned by the Foundation and is let as a residential dwelling.

Under the terms of the new charitable scheme approved in May 2010, the Trustees of the Foundation are required to "provide and maintain a combined Village Hall/Educational Institute in the Chelveston School premises for the use of the inhabitants of the Parish of Chelveston-cum-Caldecott and surrounding environs without distinction of political, religious or other opinions for meetings, lectures and classes, and for other forms of recreational activity with the object of promoting the education of and improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants."

The Trustees achieve this goal by using the surplus income from letting School House to maintain the Village Hall buildings. General hire fees for the Hall then only need to cover operating costs. Residents of the Parish pay reduced hire fees and all civic, educational and recreational classes open to the public are subsidised by the Foundation. This policy has promoted and faciliated an extensive programme of educational and recreational classes.

Further details about the history of the Foundation can be found at https://www.chelveston-pc.gov.uk/educational-foundation-of-abigai.html

Key documents relating to the history and operation of the Foundation can be found below.