Dear All,
I hope you will forgive this appeal for help. You are, or have been in the past, a valued supporter of Holt Community Centre and its ability to show films on the big screen. It therefore seems sensible to bring to your attention an urgent problem, and to ask if you would feel able to help us resolve it.
We have been alerted to warning signs that the HCC projector is reaching the end of its useful life. It has served us very well for over 14 years (6,000 projection hours), but it is definitely now living on borrowed time.
We are therefore appealing for urgent donations from all those who have benefited from the use of the audio-visual equipment, to help us purchase a new projector. Although it is an expensive additional demand on limited funds, it is simply not an option to sit on our hands and just wait for the system to fail.
There are a number of organisations that rely on the projector, including the World Cinema Club, Memory Swap, the February Film Festival, the WI, the Holt Society, with occasional use by Holt Bookshop, Holt Festival and, of course, other users booking the centre, along with HCC itself, all of whom, without this investment, will find it difficult, if not impossible, to continue to function and serve their user groups.
Having approached various companies for quotes, the audio-visual company AED in Wymondham, who fitted the original equipment, and have been recommended by Creative Arts East, (supporters of WCC screenings), have quoted us a time-limited costing of£5,911.20 including VAT to replace the existing bulb projector with a modern laser projector and recalibrate the sound system to deliver crisper dialogue reproduction. They will also ensure that we are fully trained in operating the system.
Holt Community Centre benefits from a very long projection length, which is substantially different to the requirement of smaller venues, making this the cheapest option for our set up. This solution promises an enhanced viewing experience, improved brightness and clarity and superb sound quality.
The increased brightness of 6,500 lumens will deliver a viewing experience many times superior to the present one. And, importantly, will make daytime screenings possible. As a further benefit, such state-of-the art new kit might well attract new users and activities, which would generate significant extra income. The Centre could also consider special themed screenings, such as a Science Fiction weekend, a Movie Musicals weekend, etc.
The replacement projector will come with a full 3-year guarantee and an estimated life expectancy of 20,000 hours, which equates to well over 27 years assuming 2 hours’ use per day.
We are thrilled to report that we have already had anonymous donations totalling £2,000 (with the addition of £250 in Gift Aid), and bucket donations of over £200. HCC are now trusting to the goodwill and generosity of the wider community, who appreciate the rich range of opportunities offered by the Centre.
Any donation, however small, that you feel able to make to the Holt Community Centre Projector Replacement Fund, whether anonymous or otherwise, will be hugely gratefully received. Please contact the Centre Manager, Sam Riches, on 01263 713427 or email holtcommunitycentre@gmail.com for details of how to donate. The office is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 2pm.
To support this fund-raising initiative, John Jarvis has generously offered to put on a special evening screening of his popular ‘Memory Swap’ event, showing his latest AI-enhanced archive compilation ‘Around The Area’, with images that run from Cromer to Sheringham, Melton Constable to Fakenham, and Wells to Blakeney – all in wonderfully convincing AI watercolour.
This event is on Friday 31 July, from 7.00 – 9.00pm, with tickets priced at a minimum of £5.00. The doors and bar will be open from 6.30pm and there will be an interval, as usual, to allow people to get a drink, mingle and chat.
Thank you in advance for any help you are kind enough to give.
With warmest wishes,
on behalf of the World Cinema Club and Holt Community Centre,
Phil Barrett