H2K HURST MILLENNIUM GROUP
H2K Secretary Geoff Adderley reflects on the Group’s achievements.

The Hurst Millennium group held its first meeting on 28 February 1997, where we decided to form a committee of representatives from all societies and groups within the village. This was to ensure that everyone’s ideas and views would be taken into account about how we as a village hoped to celebrate the Millennium.

Our aim was to raise sufficient funds to provide events catering for all sections of our community, from the younger children to members of the Over 60s Club. We also wanted to provide every child with a memento of The Millennium Year (Hurst Diary) and to erect a lasting reminder of these celebrations that would be around for some time to come (bronze Hurst Village Map).

This map reflects the village boundaries and contains details of many landmarks and places of interest that exist in the village now. It is to be mounted on a cast iron lectern and placed within the Village Hall grounds. This particular project was decided on as it was felt that it would be a very long lasting reminder to future generations of what Hurst was like in the year 2000.

Our first event was to be a New Year’s Eve party on 31 December 1999, complete with fireworks, live music and a pig roast to see in the New Millennium. This event required serious funding, which was started with donations from Hurst Horticultural and Cottage Garden Society, Hurst Village Society, Hurst Horse Show, Hurst Riders Club, St Nicholas Parish Council, as well as Chevron and Ranks who made substantial contributions to the Diary costs.

Fund-raising continued throughout the time leading up to the Millennium year, this included:

• Donations from village residents (one-off and standing orders)
• Dances and events e.g. May Ball, Jazz in the Park, New Year’s Eve dinner dances
• Bike Ride
• Sale of H2K merchandise (glasses, pencils, car stickers, key rings, polo shirts, the Diary, and Millennium Wine from Thames Valley vineyards) all carrying our distinctive green and gold H2K “swan” logo and sold at a profit.

Between the dates of our first meeting in 1997 and last meeting on 19 January this year the H2K Committee raised £24,400. This wonderful sum was used to fund the following activities.

• Every child under the age of 16 in the village was presented with a Hurst Millennium Diary. Two prizes were awarded, one for 5 – 11 age group, and one for 12 – 16 for the Best Kept Diary. The Maidenhead Advertiser sponsored one of these prizes.
• Children’s summer and winter parties
• Swan weather vane supplied and fitted to the Large Village Hall
• “Welcome to The Parish of St. Nicholas Hurst” road signs supplied and fitted at village entry points.



• Outing to the Millennium Dome at Greenwich for the village children
• Over 60s Club outing to The Mill at Sonning for dinner/theatre
• Hurst Cricket Club net donation
• Hurst Football Club donation for their Clubhouse Fund
• Bronze map of the village on a cast iron lectern in the Village Hall grounds



• Fireworks on Millennium New Year’s Eve
• St Nicholas Day Church Service and celebration event in the Village Hall
• Donation towards the Village Hall refurbishment.

The H2K Committee would like to thank all the villagers who not only helped with financial donations, but also the many people who “turned out” when help was needed to allow these events to take place.

Throughout the period that H2K was working, our treasurer John Penney kept comprehensive accounts and would be happy to provide a copy to any interested resident. John can be contacted on 934 xxxx.

On behalf of the H2K Committee we hope that you all enjoyed the Millennium Year in Hurst.

Geoff Adderley, Secretary H2K