Tag: featured

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Working for the Community – Thornton Community Centre

A small group of trustees manage the centre on behalf of the Community, and just prior to Covid they were working on a lengthy programme of refurbishments to be carried out at the 50-year-old Centre which was looking tired and dated.

As these plans for refurbishment began to take shape Covid struck, and the centre was closed for 16 months.

(The two halls are owned by the village community and sit on a plot of land extending to the hedgerow behind the centre and to the left of the path, leased from the Parish Council for a peppercorn rent).

The trustees apologise for the untidy state of the driveway borders. They have located architects’ plans at the Parish Council offices, which indicate that the land is not leased from the Parish Council, making them responsible for maintenance. If you are unhappy with the borders’ condition, please inform the Parish Council. Despite repeated requests to tidy the area, the response has been “there is no money available.” This situation reflects poorly on the Centre and the village.

Since reopening in July 2021, the trustees have created an online presence with this website and an associated digital booking system (Hallmaster).

New signage was erected above the hall doors and noticeboards on the driveway facing Main Street.

The felt roof on the Sports Hall was replaced.

Overgrown borders and hedges were cut back.

A large screen and projector were purchased for the Main Hall with a grant from Forterra Brickworks.

A freezer was purchased for the kitchen.

Two benches were purchased from grant money, and placed by the front door together with a planter donated by the Parish Council.

Continual blockages in the toilets for several years led the trustees to have the drains ‘scoped’, and it was found that they had collapsed in part and the whole drainage system had to be replaced

During the autumn of 2022, MDJ Developers and Johnson Wellborn decorators started major works refurbishing the main hall toilets and decorating the main hall, kitchen, toilet, storeroom, meeting room, foyer and sports hall foyer.

New modern, white doors were fitted throughout the centre and painted.

Glenfield Electrical rewired the Centre and installed LED lighting throughout the inside, and new external lighting.

After this work was completed a window cleaner was engaged to clean the fascia’s and windows on a monthly basis and the Main hall curtains were dry cleaned.

All this work contributing to the centre having a fresh, clean, spacious look making it more appealing to hirers.

In August 2023 another part of the flat roof had to be repaired, and a replacement extractor fan had to be fitted in the main kitchen.

The obsolete, external cameras were taken down.

Earlier this year a fire inspection was carried out it was found that the Sports hall ceiling and wall tiles were no longer compliant with fire regulations. To avoid closure of the hall the ceiling and wall tiles were taken down and replaced with new tiles and insulation, and the hall was redecorated throughout.

Currently major works are taking place in the Sports Hall. A larger fully equipped kitchen is being built, and  the former small kitchen is being converted into two toilets.

MORE PHOTOGRAPHS TO FOLLOW ……..

In December last year plans were submitted to HBBC for permission to construct a decked area to the rear of the hall and to increase the car parking space by a further 27 spaces.

Planning permission was granted, however the unforeseen costs of replacing the drains and the Sports hall ceiling (£30,388) mean that there are insufficient funds to carry out these works, until fund raising, and grants allow.

The trustees have spent £98,000 over the past 3 years to ensure that the Centre is fit for purpose for the next 50 years.

Both halls make superb venues for all kinds of events, they can be used together or separately, with arguably the best view in the county overlooking the National Forest and the reservoir.

The Sports hall is a particularly safe space for childrens’ parties with room for bouncy castles inside the hall. The photographs show a recent Spiderman themed party.

Could you help your Community with fund raising through organising events, grants or donations to make these final proposals happen?

Would you like to be involved in securing the future of this wonderful resource for your community?

Then please contact us on email thorntonvillage@aol.com

For more information about the Centre (hire costs/photographs/booking system etc), check out the pages on this website dedicated to the Community Centre.

Gill Tapping (Trustee)

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AGM – Thornton Community Centre

Thornton Community Centre – Trustees

Do you have a couple of hours a month that you could spare to help with the running of the Community Centre?

We have the most wonderful village resource at the Centre with two halls available to the local, and wider, community and a large plot of land to the rear, which although owned by the Parish Council is leased by the Trustees of the Community Centre for the benefit of the village.

Over the past two years the trustees have overseen a great many improvements at the centre (these include a new Sports Hall roof, replacement LED lighting throughout, new toilets in the main hall, decorating throughout, new drainage system), but there is still more to do to modernise this old building. The next major project is to replace the Sports hall sound proofing, create 2 extra toilets in the Sports hall and create a new, larger, improved kitchen area for the Sports hall. In recent months this hall has become increasingly popular as a safe space for childrens parties and we wish this to continue by improving these facilities.

Two major projects for the future is the creation of a decked area to run from the patio doors of the main hall, and to increase the size of the parking area by a further 20+ spaces. Whilst planning permission has been granted for these projects, the centre does not have sufficient monies to fund them without donations, grants and fund raising efforts.

We need your help to help make these things happen for the community.

Do you have time to help us raise funds, have any ideas on the type of events you would like to see at the Centre?

Please contact us at thorntonvillage@aol.com or join us at the AGM to have a conversation.

We are a small, friendly group of 7 trustees, but we really do need help and would welcome new members to join us to ensure the future of the Centre for years to come.

The trustees meet once a month at 7pm on (usually) the third Thursday evening of the month.

Thornton Community Centre – Mowing/Hedge Cutting

The trustees have recently agreed to take over from the Parish Council, the responsibility of mowing the grass, to the rear of the Community Centre.

It is hoped that by doing this the grass can be cut on a more regular basis and cut shorter to make that area more ‘usable’ to residents and visitors.

The boundary hedge will also become the Trust’s responsibility and will need attention 2 or 3 times a year.

But this comes at a cost.

Is there anyone local or do you know of anyone nearby that would be prepared to mow the grass on a regular basis for the village and/or trim the hedging when that becomes necessary. Terms to be negotiated.

Contact us please by emailing thorntonvillage@aol.com