Plea for new blood to stop closure of Staxigoe hall
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A VILLAGE hall committee has issued a last-ditch appeal for new blood – “before the keys are handed back to the council and the windows are boarded up”.
Secretary David Carter said new and enthusiastic committee members are desperately needed to ensure that Staxigoe Hall can continue to be at the centre of the community.
“With the programme of school closures and shops closing around the county the things that used to hold a community together are dwindling,” said 47-year-old Mr Carter.
“Staxigoe doesn’t have a pub, a restaurant or even a shop so the only thing that is actually there is the hall. It’s the only thing that can give the village its identity.”
However a dwindling number of committee members and the resignation of the chairman and treasurer have placed its continued existence in doubt.
“It’s a serious situation that the hall finds itself in,” he said. “If we were getting a dozen people turning up at every meeting it would be great, even if there were 30 members in total.
“But if you’ve got a dozen members and only two or three are turning up... well you need to find people who are willing to be more than just a name on a bit of paper.”
He added: “It’s getting new blood that can come in to office-bearing ? positions rather than just be a committee member. We need a chairperson who is willing to be active.”
A similar appeal was made earlier in the year which is when contractor Mr Carter, of Broadhaven in Wick, became involved.
The committee is responsible for the upkeep and general maintenance of the hall as well as organising occasional fundraising events.
Mr Carter said its main aim is to make the hall available to the community.
“The hall has a history going right back,” he said.
“It’s had amateur dramatics, darts clubs, badminton clubs, bowling clubs, indoor shooting, whist drives and concerts.
“It is being used at the moment for ladies’ keep fit, flower arranging classes and kids parties.”
He added: “Ultimately all the committee can do is make the facility available in the hope that the local people will want to use it.”
Mr Carter explained that on a positive note the hall has just had its public entertainment licence renewed for another three years.
“It has the go-ahead for the next three years to hold events, it just needs the people now to get behind it,” he said.
Those interested are asked to go along to the hall for an extraordinary general meeting on Thursday, December 1.
