Midsummer 2023 Newsletter

Dear Friends of Dorking Bandstand,

As we head towards midsummer’s day, we have much to report in terms of progress with the project.

First, we are very pleased to welcome Neil Crumbie as a new trustee to replace Tony Earnshaw who stood down recently. We also welcome Alan Moore to the team, bringing considerable and much needed construction expertise.

We have recently signed the “Heads of Terms”  for our lease. This is the agreement with MVDC for the lease of the council land on which the bandstand is to be built, marking the next stage of the formal processes.

After further site visits to the bandstands in Wandle park and Swanage, the team agreed slight modifications to the plinth design to make the Dorking bandstand even more flexible and practical for a wide range of users. These changes are informing the drawings being prepared so we can go out to contractors for realistic cost estimates for the actual build.

In addition, we commissioned a ground survey of the site which took place recently which is also informing the plinth design and practical positioning.

Our work to engage with the community has also continued with a very successful  presence at the Dorking Coronation Celebration on the 8th of May. We were again heartened by the widespread support for the project. Many, many positive comments and helpful discussions with those who signed up to be kept informed. Thank you.!

We have also kept our neighbours up to date with a further leaflet distributed to those living near the Meadow Bank. 

Finally, in our next Newsletter, we hope to report on the progress we are making with funding for the project.

As ever, if you would like to help in anyway, please get in touch using our contact form on the website or email us at info@dorkingbandstand.com. We are particularly looking for practical help in managing and developing our social media profile prior to launching our crowd funding campaign.

The Trustees

Dorking Pandemic Community Bandstand CIO

June 2023