A Brief History of the Shirley Hall
The original Shirley Hall was built and named in memory of Mrs Shirley Waynforth in 1968. Shirley Waynforth was the late wife of Canon Waynforth who was a vicar at All Saints Church for many years.
Its original purpose was as a place for Sunday school and some church affiliated groups. Then in the mid-seventies a growing Mother and Toddler group evolved into the All Saints Nursery School, which continues to run very successfully to this day.
Many people had great affection for the old timber frame hall but buy the early years of the 21st century it had become clear that the building was coming near to the end of its lifespan.
From about 2005 plans began to be put in place which went through various stages and redrafting’s. Though some progress was made, the Shirley Hall committee felt they would have to attempt a risky refurbishment of the existing structure, but then a generous grant of £100,000 from a donor secured the funds for the building you are now standing in. The overall cost of the project was approximately £207,000.
The lady and gentleman who gave the £100,000 to the church have now died, and they wished to remain anonymous. However, the gentleman before he died asked that a poem in memory of his wife be put into the Shirley Hall.
We are also very grateful to other charities that have very generously given money to the project. These are as follow: The Diana Edgson Charitable trust, the Maurice and Hilda Laing Charitable Trust, Whitstable and Seasalter Golf Club, Chestfield Rotary Club, the family of Jean Dobbie (former manager of All Saints preschool) and Kent County Council. We have also received a large number of gifts from members of the congregation and community for which we are very grateful. Added to that the Church and Preschool ran many fundraising activities over a period from 2008 to 2011 to raise money for the new building.
All Saints Church ahs also given significant amount of its reserves, funding over a quarter of the entire cost of the project and is both the legal landlord of the property and the body which was responsible for managing the new build and for maintain its upkeep into the future. The new building was officially opened on Sunday 25th September 2011 by Miss Alice Pay, 100 years old, in the presence of the lord mayor of Canterbury.
Special thanks to Brian Barnes, Chairman of the Shirley Hall Building Committee, to Keith Berry, project Manager of Moorford project Management, and to Jenner, the name of our building contractors. Also, to the 3rd Whitstable scout group for accommodating the preschool during the building work in the summer term of 2011.
Most importantly, thanks be to God for his goodness! Rev Simon Tillotson- Team Vicar at All Saints Whitstable.