Community Association Update - it’s ‘Event Time’
What a difference a year makes – ‘Thank Goodness’!
Fortunately, the worst of the pandemic appears to be behind us and everyone can ‘come out and play again’. The CA members and friends played and are playing a full part by supporting Monk Fryston and Hillam Parish Councils in trying to make life normal again and what a way to start with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations.
Four days of celebrations offered every member of our villages, young and old, the opportunity to take part in some way, concluding at the Community Centre with the Big Jubilee Lunch on Sunday 5th June.
Despite the weather, well over 300 adults plus children came along to enjoy great food, drink and free entertainments.
At the end of the event a lot of very tired people began the essential process of restoring the site; removing and storing tables and chairs, electrical equipment, bars and BBQ before the cleaning started and patio fences were reinstalled ready for Monday morning users of the Centre.
It was a brilliant team effort, helped by the timely arrival of the newly formed ‘Marquee Team’ – a group of residents who have answered the call of can you help with event site build and restoration. A few days before the Jubilee, the team assembled and quickly erected 6 marquees to ‘weather proof the event’; on Sunday morning, two more marquees used the day before at the Proms where also erected to provide essential cover for additional seating and cover for the BBQ – ‘the show must and did go on’.
A special mention must go to Sally Whittingham and Trisha Birch who represented the CA on the Jubilee planning group and along with the other committee members did months of work putting on a fabulous weekend which will be long remembered by everyone who attended – well done and thank you.
Future events - The Beer Fest
The next major event which the CA is staging in partnership with the school PTA is the Beer Fest on September 16th and 17th. More details can be found elsewhere in Hillam News.
The planning is well advanced – the entertainment, food and drinks are booked or ordered. To stage the event, we rely on many people offering to help – if you can spare a few hours either when you are attending, or before or after the event please contact us via [email protected] or via our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MFHBeerfans
Future events – The annual Autumn Firework Display
Sometime around the 5th November this year we will be helping to stage the traditional extravaganza. Last year, as the pandemic was easing, we put on the first event after two years with the Cricket and Football Clubs at their larger site on Stocking Lane. Plans are not finalised yet – so look out in the next edition of Hillam News for details but, in recognition of Health, Safety and Insurance, Bonfires are now a thing of the past and of course, sparklers in crowded public spaces are also not permitted at this event – so please don’t bring them – enjoy them at home or somewhere less crowed.
The Normal Stuff
The committee agreed to allow one of the Community Centre users ‘What the Dickens’, our village Community Library, to expand the size of their bookshelves thereby being able to offer and share more books. It is really encouraging to see that more and more residents are visiting the library, borrowing books and enjoying some social time over a coffee. Several village childcare groups visit the Centre to combine a visit to the library and playground. The word is that the group are going to be branching out and expanding their offer, so book lovers keep your eyes and ears open.
As ‘What the Dickens’ is a drop-in facility many different people as well as regulars pop in from time to time – sometimes just for a coffee, biscuit and toilets. One such group are the playground maintenance volunteers. Neal Wilson and John Leslie who were trained a few years ago to carry out playground inspections and minor repairs and undertake our quarterly playground inspections. These inspections supplement the annual professional inspection which is a statutory requirement.
As you can see, they also carry out essential refurbishments such as painting equipment and noting when things are not working as they should, hence we are having to carry out an expensive repair on the playground gate to stock it banging – we think this is a legacy of the pandemic when we were advised to remove all touch points for fear of spreading covid and tied back the gate – and damaged the dampening mechanism. If only we had known then what we know now!
The next major CA matter will be holding the AGM. The date, yet to be agreed, will take place in the Autumn. This is when annual reports are shared with CA members, a new chair is elected and a third of Trustees have to step down and new elections of Trustees who serve a 3-year term are held by members. Notification of the date and location of the AGM will be posted on Parish Council notice boards, The Community Centre notice board and members will be notified directly. If you would like to become a CA member, please contact the CA secretary Caroline Mitchell [email protected]
Community Centre Developments
We have a list of things to do – but finding time to do them properly, as you can only spend hard earned money once, has been challenging given the preparation for our Events. We are progressing with sourcing the Air Source Heat Pump and have plans to do several pieces of work by the autumn but we could do with some help. If you would like to join the Community Centre Development Project Team please contact Ray Newton, Facility Manager at [email protected]
