My name is Martin Hawkins and I am the Chairman of the Asthall Leigh Memorial Hall Trustees.
The Asthall Leigh Memorial Hall stands as a memorial to the men and women who fell in the 1914-18 and 1939-45 Wars and represents five local hamlets. Fordwells, Worsham, Field Assarts, Asthall and Asthall Leigh in Oxfordshire.
I moved into the hamlet of Asthall Leigh about twenty- five years ago and soon got to know everyone through the monthly ‘pubs nights’ at the Memorial Hall which had just started. This was a huge lesson to me. The building was a great way of keeping community together and keeping everyone informed of what was going on. It was the heart of the five villages. I liked that and wanted to get involved in village life. I do think I have a desire to help others and make a difference and that does help when volunteering for things.
It wasn’t long before I was asked to become a Trustee, which I did, and soon become an active participant in shaping the future of the Memorial Hall, the village and helping to make it a better place. Through volunteering it was a chance to make a positive impact on life in a small rural community.
A few years ago I took over as Chairman. They say you are only as good as your ‘back up’ and I am blessed to have a great bunch of Trustees who feel the same as me. My fellow volunteers have become friends and we all love being a part of a team with a common goal.
We hold a variety of events each month, from social gatherings like Pub Nights, Lunches, Film Nights to Community Meetings. Along with the other Trustees I enjoy organising them and help ensure these events run smoothly. The feeling of contributing to something meaningful and making a difference in my community, boosts my confidence and sense of purpose in life. It’s also very rewarding and makes me feel good.
In short, volunteering at the Memorial Hall is a win-win situation – I contribute to my community while simultaneously benefiting myself, which can be summed up with the quote; “The quality of your life will be determined by the quality of your contribution.”
Martin Hawkins Chairman, Asthall Leigh Memorial Hall Trustees The Asthall Leigh Memorial Hall stands as a memorial to the men and women who fell in the 1914-18 and 1939-45 Wars. View on www.asthallleigh.co.uk