WINDMILL HILL COMMUNITY CENTRE
There is a range of activities of interest to local people here at the Community Centre but a mere list of What’s On doesn’t really tell you what we are about.
Who and what are we?
We are here to ‘promote the benefit of the inhabitants of Windmill Hill and the neighbourhood’ and we manage the building where these activities take place. Who are ‘we’? Windmill Hill Community Association is a membership based organisation of volunteers. We are a registered charity so the people on the committee are the Charity Trustees and are elected each year at an Annual General Meeting, held usually in the Spring.
Activities
The year just coming to an end has been a very active one with many regular weekly classes continuing and some additional groups too. The large or small hall can be hired for parties. Theatre groups use the space for rehearsals. Social activities like discos, raffles, skittles, Quiz Nights, pool, and cards continue and these include some fund raising.
Groups
Local affiliated groups that hold meetings here include a Book Group, Victoria Park Tennis Club, a residents group and Art on the Hill – organising the annual local Art Trail. One-off meetings have included two or three called by representatives of the Police to organise ‘alley gating’ schemes to provide security at the back lanes of houses.
History
Windmill Hill Community Association was formed nearly 40 years ago and brought together volunteers who wanted to provide activities of value to local people and a place where people could socialise. The underused church hall was available at a peppercorn rent and what is now the small hall was then not much more than walls and a roof. Enormous effort was put in – planning, fund raising, practical hard work. We have inherited all this added value and in 2000 took on ownership of the building with a mortgage.
The building
Now, in 2011, repairs, renovations, and upgrading are all required, some urgently. We owe it to the memory of the founders and the past workers that we leave the place in good condition for future generations. To do this properly would take an enormous amount of money which we don’t have. Funds are out there but they are never simply donated – they have to be applied for, appropriately. And the day to day running of the place, all done voluntarily, takes up the available time of the current volunteers.
Improvements
Despite the pressures of time and money some recently achieved improvements have been repairs to the flat roofing; repairs to areas of the roof and gulleys so that we no longer dread heavy rains; renewing an outside terrace area; putting in equipment for showing films on a large screen and now we are ‘wired up’ to provide internet access in either hall. Regular users of the Centre will know that a special achievement was repairing the heating in the small hall – in time for Christmas 2010.
As before we need to use the good will amongst the members and other users of the building to raise funds to continue improvements to the facilities – by volunteering, donating and fund raising. C.H.
Five ways to enjoy the community centre
1. Join one of the classes or regular activities – see ‘What’s On’. (You don’t have to be a member and many classes will allow you to try it out once to see if it is for you. )
2. Hire one of the halls for a children’s party or a family birthday or celebration. (contact the bookings secretary.)
3. Become a member and socialise in the Bar any evening or Sunday lunchtime. You benefit from reduced prices for some events.
(See membership form on this website or call in and ask at the bar.)
4. Get more involved and help with some events or fundraising – and even stand for the committee. (Send in a comment via this website)
5. Send in a request or suggestion to the committee. They meet every month to review things and to sort out what needs to be done. (Send in a comment via this website.)
WINDMILL HILL COMMUNITY CENTRE – at the heart of your community.