October 2021
With fingers crossed, it looks like we are moving towards normality. During the Pandemic we put a lot of energy into managing the Centre facilities in a Covid secure manner, having abandoned all our regular social activities and freezing all spending apart from essential items. We would like to publicly say a big ‘Thank you’ to all our volunteers who worked hard to keep things going; ensuring that the facilities we provide continued to be available to all.
After re-opening the Community Centre, we are looking forward to running more village events and reviewing our development programme.
Church Lane Footpath Repaired
An exception to the spending freeze was a decision to support Monk Fryston Parish Council to get the Church Lane footpath repaired. We have a close relationship with both Monk Fryston and Hillam Parish Councils and have often discussed the poor state of this footpath that neither Selby DC nor North Yorkshire Highways would agree to repair. In April, at the end of our financial year, we held surplus funds from government ‘Pandemic’ grants received via Selby DC. We decided to make up the repair funding gap by way of a donation, as the Committee were concerned that someone might a have a serious accident on the path. We are pleased to report, that it was repaired during August.
Future Community Centre Projects and Spending
Early Summer 2019 seems a long time ago now, but you may recall that we invited everyone to an open meeting to suggest projects and prioritise future spending. The outcome was a list of priorities most of which didn’t get started because of the pandemic and bad weather that Autumn. However, the floor repairs and the grant funded Sustainability Project did happen.
We have decided that given the passage of time, to hold another open meeting this Autumn – probably in November for our residents, users and committee to agree a new list of development projects – watch out for more date and time information.
However, we cannot wait for a development meeting to get on with somethings and the Committee decided it was required to invest in some temporary Herras Fencing to provide a better drier and cleaner ball dry park for youngsters during the wet and often muddy winter, if it is not being already being hired to a User of the Community Centre along with the Hall.
AGM, New Trustees and CA Membership
Our AGM was held on 15th September. The Trustees report and Accounts were approved and Robin Parkin was re-elected as Chair and is a co-opted Trustee. Two Trustees who had served since 2014; Ray Newton and Kath Ratcliffe stepped down and local residents, Rachel Cheshire and Andy Phillips, were elected unanimously as new Trustees to serve a three-year term.
The Trustees agreed to invite all members to renew their membership at £1 per year and for non-member residents to consider joining us. The membership renewal period runs from 1st to the 30th November. Look out for the invitation and form which will be delivered to every home.
Autumn Event - Finally a date for your diary, the Association jointly with the Cricket and Football Clubs will be staging a Firework event on Saturday 6th November. Entrance will be by ticket only.