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Paxcroft Mead News - April 2008 |
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Paxcroft Mead News - April 2008 |
Hello everyone.
We have completed the last two sections (of seven) of the Health Check. The final items were a Disability Discrimination Act audit and a Health and Safety risk analysis. The DDA audit in particualr has exposed several areas where the Centre is deficient, and we are looking into the possibility of a grant to fund corrective work and some other work as well. We now have an updated Health and Safety policy, and are putting the finishing touches to a Health and Safety file which expands greatly on the policy. The whole Health Check has been in the nature of an internal self-audit across the whole range of legal matters affecting us. We are now considering joining the Hallmark scheme. This would assess us in three stages against much the same requirements, but would be an external, though basically friendly, audit.
In my last article, I said we were turning our attention to registering the Centre as a Charity. We have an issue with the owners of the rest of Hackett Place over the exact boundary of the Community Centre. The main building is not in dispute, but the access paths and steps are. We had thought that this had to be resolved before we could proceed with registration, but it turned out that this was not the case, and we were able to go ahead anyway. We updated our Deed of Trust (the constitution which controls how we operate), and then submitted an application in March. The process for this is basically simple, but is made complicated by inconsistencies for doing it. In the event, the Charity Commission dealt with the application quickly, and we were informed on the 3rd of April that the application had been successful.
The Centre is now a registered charity, no. 1123423.
The Neighbourhood Policing Team has started using the small meeting room for drop-in surgeries, having held three there so far with more planned. Their activity in the area seems to have reduced anti-social behaviour.
The long standing problem with the lights in Hall 1 has been sorted out. The difficulty had been in finding an affordable way of working at height, but all the tubes have now been replaced. It turned out to be a mammoth effort, but the Hall is far better for it. There are several more inside jobs to get done, such as servicing the boilers and sorting out the plumbing, but then we plan to move on to decoration and cleaning.
We are now planning our AGM. Details can be found elsewhere on the web site. That will mark the end of my (first ?) year as Chairman. Looking back over the year, and what I hoped we would achieve, the one subject where we have failed to make progress is that of the boundary issue.
In all other areas I am satisfied with the progress we have made.
Emma King
After a number of years of working as cleaner for the Community Centre, Emma King has decided to return to full–time work.
Emma has been far more than just a cleaner to the Community Centre; as well as doing the cleaning, she has acted as part–time security guard, caretaker, beer delivery manager and general supporter of the centre in many different ways.
We thank Emma for all her hard work and wish her good luck for the future.
West Wiltshire Street Cup football tournament
In our last issue, I reported on the forthcoming West Wiltshire Street Football Tournament. The tournament, which took place on 16th April, proved to be a striking success. The following is an extract from the WWDC press release.
‘West Wiltshire District Council teamed up with Wiltshire Police, Trowbridge Town Council, Wiltshire County Council, West Wiltshire Housing Society and the Wiltshire Football Association to run the inaugural event.
Sixteen teams representing Neighbourhood Policing Team community areas from across the district competed in three age groups in five-a-side teams at John of Gaunt School in Trowbridge on 16th April.
A total of 33 games saw the team from Longfield emerging victorious in the Under-18's event, John of Gaunt triumphing in the Under-16's, and College and Newtown winning the Under-14's. The winners can look forward to a training session at Swindon Town's County Ground next month.
The event was held as a way to break existing social, class and schooling barriers. It also allowed the players to meet their local beat officers and improve relations with them.
A second Street Cup event is planned for the summer holidays with a long term aim of establishing a football league for under 14's, 16's and 18's. This will be a diversionary activity as well as a tool for the police to prevent anti-social behaviour.’
Last reminder of the PMCC Annual General Meeting
Tuesday 20th May 2008 at 8.00pm in the centre
This is your opportunity to bring up items for discussion about the Community Centre, or to stand for election to the committee.
You can view or download all the AGM documents via the Paxcroft Mead Community Centre website - www.paxcroftmead.org.uk
Trowbridge Police Station – Enquiry Office re–opening
We have it on good authority that the Trowbridge Enquiry office will be re-opening on Monday 28th April. The office will open initially from 9:00 – 17:00, Monday to Saturday, but it is planned to extend the hours from 9:00 – 21:00. The office will be closed on Sundays.
BLUEZ ‘n’ZUZ Young People's Night Club
The local Neighbourhood Police Teams are continuing with their established regular BLUEZ ‘n’ ZUZ Night Club sessions for young people aged 12 – 16. The next event will be on Friday, 16th May from 7 - 9pm at the Snooker Club, Silver Street, Trowbridge. Entry is £2. Further events are planned and listed on the Wiltshire Police website. Click here for more details.
Since Members of the the Tuesday Morning Coffee Club were attending so many different celebratory lunches in December, we found it difficult to get together for a Christmas meal. Instead the Club decided they should go for a meal together later on in the year, so this month we booked the Linnet at Great Hinton.
After the usual Tuesday morning coffee in the Community Centre we all trooped along to the Pub/Restaurant and enjoyed a very good meal in our usual good company plus the one or two spouses who decided to join us as well.
All this and the weather was absolutely magnificent too!
The Coffee Club meets at the Community Centre every Tuesday morning at 10.30 a.m.
Admission £1 (for refreshments). Contact Glen Dudley for more information – 01225 761973.
The Neighbourhood Police Team are holding further public surgery sessions at the Paxcroft Mead Community Centre Meeting room (entry at the rear of the building). Please come along and to report and talk over your issues!
| Saturday 10th May 15:00–18:00 |
| Friday 6th June 15:00–18:00 |
On Saturday, 10th May at 19:30, Holy Trinity Church, Stallard Street. The May Concert programme includes performances of Vivaldi's Magnificat, Handel's Coronation Anthems (including Zadok the Priest) and Rutter's Mass of the Children. Conducted by Gareth Harris, the Society will be joined by a choir of local school children plus soloists and orchestra.
Tickets at £10 available on door, via 01225 761364 or at Trowbridge Information Centre.
On Sunday, 11th May at 15:00, Arc Theatre, College Road. Thurtinkle is a much loved storyteller from the land of the Big Noses who lives in a tiny Tardis that can actually travel through time... On his time travelling adventures he has visited the Vikings, rapped with the Romans and taken tea with Tutankhamen.
Admission: £5.50 each or family £18 (Suitable for children aged 5–11)
On Saturday, 17th May at 19:30, Holy Trinity Church, Stallard Street. Ludmila Behpattchaya and friends present works by Chopin, Schubert, Mendlessohn, Dvorak, Grieg and other composers for piano, voice, violin, clarinet and recorder in aid of the Holy Trinity Church and the Wiltshire Rural Music School.
Admission free, retiring collection, refreshments available. More details from Tim Woods on (01225) 754384.
Tuesday, 20th to Saturday 24th May at 19:30, Civic Hall, Trowbridge Park. Trowbridge Amateur Operatic Society is staging the musical version of the children's classic novel that follows an orphaned Mary Lennox from India to the wilds of the Yorkshire moors to live with her Uncle Archibald. His house has become a shrine to the memory of his dead wife Lily, and is the home to their son Colin, a bitter young recluse. As their friendship grows, and with the help of a maid and a gardner, they work to bring the house's residents and Lily's much loved garden back to life.
Tickets: £10 (raked), £9 (flat) adult, £6 (flat) child. Contact: Telephone: 01225 710535 (daytime) 01225 769230 (eve). Email: enquiries@trowbridgeops.co.uk
If you know of any events that would be of interest to the community, please drop me an email to – editor@paxcroftmead.org.uk.
We have been a bit short on news this month, but if you have a news story or event you would like to share in the next newsletter, please send your contribution via email to editor@paxcroftmead.org.uk or post it to, or drop it in to:-
The Editor, Paxcroft Mead Community Centre, Hackett Place, Trowbridge, BA14 7GW.
To ensure we have the largest possible distribution, please would you forward this newsletter on to friends and neighbours and encourage them sign up to the emailing list via our website - http://www.paxcroftmead.org.uk/contact_form.htm
You can access all the previous newsletters via the Paxcroft Mead Newsletter archive. To access the archive click here
| ©2008 Paxcroft Community Centre | |
| Registered Charity Number 1123423 |