Newsletter 75
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Newsletter No. 75 - February 2011 This newsletter is compiled and produced by volunteers of Wythall Community Association who distribute 4,750 copies free of charge to nearly all of the houses in the Wythall parish. For friends who do not receive a copy at home, they are also made available in various places in Wythall, including the library, and in Wythall Park itself (Park Hall, Wythall House and the Wythall Community Club). It is funded by the Community Association , with help from the Wythall Parish Council who have a dedicated section in the centre pages for their various reports. EDITORIAL BONFIRE NIGHT Copy for next issue Park Hall ON THE PARK Will all correspondents and Thanks to Severn Waste contributors please supply copy Environmental Fund, Awards for All, for the next issue by a number of personal donations and a Monday 13th June 2011 loan from the Wythall Community at the latest. Hall Trust we have finally managed to re-roof Park Hall. Please send all copy, preferably electronically as plain text within Thanks go as well to Barrie Stokes, an e-mail with photos/logos as the Association Secretary, who co- attachments or on disk or CD to ordinated and secured the funding the Wythall Community for this project. Association at Wythall House. Saturday 5th A Walk in the Park The e-mail address is November [email protected] There was a rather flattering 2011 article about the Park in the Birmingham Mail recently. The author, Graham Young, visits, photographs and writes about parks Edited and produced by: in and around the city. He described Dave Hodson the Park itself in glowing terms - " . one of the most friendly parks Published by: I've been to in a long time" and gave Wythall Community Association details of some of the many (Registered Charity No 243332) activities taking place here. Distributed by: He quoted extensively from our web Wythall Community Association Volunteers site - www.wythall-park.org.uk about which he commented - "Now that's not out of town posh, just sensible. A means of helping the WYTHALL CARNIVAL neighbouring community to treasure and to embrace a fine amenity". The annual Wythall Carnival is organised by volunteers of Wythall Community Association. Some members have been on the organising committee for over Please show your appreciation by 20 years. To guarantee the continuation of the Carnival the Committee is joining the Community Association. looking to recruit new members with new ideas to help in the organisation of The £5 a year subscription will help future Carnivals. We want this to continue as a good family event enjoyed to maintain our Park and its buildings. by all. Dave Hodson If you feel in a position to help the community in this worthwhile event, we Editor only meet for a couple of hours each month from January to August at 07711 531 665 Wythall House, please contact Bob Green tel: 01564 823666 or Wythall Community Association tel: 01564 823281. Thank you. The Project to Re-roof Park Hall Since its construction in 1973, Park Hall on Wythall Park has been the first choice venue for many of the Notice of Annual General Meeting clubs, societies, and leisure groups in the local community. It is used Thursday 14th April, 8.00pm in Park Hall every week by more than 300 people who attend one or more of the ALL members of Wythall Community Association are diverse activities which include Ceroc dancing, T'ai Chi, karate, encouraged to attend what is arguably the most ballroom dancing, ladies keep fit, important meeting of the year. Lyntone Dance classes, archery, Weight Watching groups and This is YOUR opportunity to country music. It is also booked on more than 80 occasions per year for * hear reports on our progress in 2010-11 from the birthdays, weddings, annual outgoing Management Committee. presentations, etc by private * to elect the President, Secretary and Treasurer individuals and other organisations. of the Association for 2011-12 In 2009 the roof began to leak and * to raise any concerns which you would like the it became clear that the building new committee to consider. would have to be completely re- covered with new felt if it was to continue as a base for these The AGM of the Association will be immediately followed activities. by a meeting of the General Committee which shall elect The problem was that Wythall from its members its Chairman, Vice Chairmen, and its Community Association, which owns Management Committee for 2011 - 2012. the building, is a charity run on a Thank you not-for-profit basis. It is Barrie Stokes (Honorary Secretary). maintained largely by volunteers and members and does not have funds to carry out the repairs. The cost of £13,500 was way beyond our resources. However, we were fortunate enough to be given financial support from:- i) Severn Waste Environmental Fund who contributed £3,000 ii) Awards for All who contributed £8,500 The remaining £2,000 was achieved from fund raising and generous donations by members of the Association and the people of Wythall . Work on the roof was completed in December 2010 Wythall Community Association wishes to thank Severn Waste Environmental Fund and Awards for All – it is due to their support that the future of Park Hall as a community resource is guaranteed. Footnote: The final bill was £16,950 because extra work was required to the under boarding on the roof, leaving the Community Association to find a further £3,450. If you are willing to make a private donation or gift, it would be gratefully received. Wythall House is open in the evenings and at lunch times on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Barrie Stokes Hon. Secretary, Wythall Community Association WYTHALL COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION - www.wythall-park.org.uk One of the major parts of the meeting is approval of the financial statements. As the year end is 31st December these are not yet finished but I do know that running the Park and Facilities has been expensive this year. Whilst we make every attempt to keep costs to a minimum the property is becoming of an age The Community Club has provided us where the 44 years of community with a warm, comfortable The Annual General Meeting of the use are showing. This year we have environment where we can socialise, Association will be held in Park Hall re-surfaced the worst parts of the or at least stay warm and save the at 8pm on Thursday 14th April 2011. roadway and replaced the roof of heating at home. The AGM is to be Park Hall. These have been held on Friday 18th February, 8pm in All members of the Association are expensive jobs. We were grateful to the Britannia Room. Probably by the welcome to attend and hear reports the efforts of our Secretary, Barrie time you read this you will have from the Committee Chairmen, and Stokes, who obtained funding from missed it but if you have a comment elect the General Committee. Awards for All and the Severn or suggestion for the Committee Waste Trust; as well as a grant from please let us know. This year has the Community Hall Trust. been difficult but we have WYTHALL BONFIRE succeeded in covering costs and NIGHT 2010 It has been suggested that if raising some funds for the everyone who walked their dog on Association, which is the reason it As co-ordinator for the volunteer the park put 5p in the funds each was set up. The Beer Festival was a rota I feel I would like to officially time we would have enough to make new event which we enjoyed and will give my thanks to all the many who substantial improvements. Personally look to run again in 2011. turned up on the night to make it I would like to charge everyone who such a great success, drives into the park 10p – especially The Association manages the now I know how much tarmac costs. facilities on behalf of the As this was only my second year Then we would have enough to repair community. If you are interested doing the job, I think that I am now the potholes which this winter has then join as a member and come and beginning to put some faces to the started. I have no idea how we can help us. A number of the committee names, I felt we had gained one or possibly get the idiot drivers who members are aging and whilst we two extra this year which is very use the carpark for 'donuts' in the have enjoyed serving the community helpful, but on the down side this snow to appreciate how much over the years, finding friendship year we have had one or two ask to damage they do to the tarmac! and satisfaction, it would be really be dropped from the list for various nice to see that others appreciate reasons, which means that I shall be The problem is collecting this but we what we have done by wanting to on the lookout for some do accept donations if you would like help us maintain and improve what replacements. For anyone who is to make one, by post to Wythall we have got. interested please contact me, Ken House, 52 Silver Street, B47 6LZ or Knowles and I am sure that we could hand them in at the bar. Betsy Johnson, Hon Treasurer. find something suitable from a list of duties to choose from. It goes without saying that thanks Park Hall - Available for hire should also go to all the helpers both on the day the Friday before and on the Sunday morning after to get our park back to normal.