Living in interesting times

As 2010 gets into its stride, we are redoubling our efforts to raise funds to repair and renovate the Community Centre. As the year progresses you will be hearing more from us on this. Work to date is concentrated on Health and Safety basics to ensure our duty of care to our users is maintained.
  What we wish to secure sooner rather than later is some sort of lift to assist our less well able patrons to access the first floor. As well as this a toilet for disabled users is of paramount importance. Treatment of the outside walls and exterior painting would not only bring in more users but would greatly please our neighbours and general passers-by.

 
Changes to the board of trustees

After many years of invaluable service, both the chairman, Stephen Ashcroft, and the honorary treasurer Dr Robert South will leave the board at the end of March 2010. Stephen is involved in many other local activities and Robert has moved away from the area. We are deeply indebted to them both.
  Taking their places will be Nicholas G McGough in the chair and Adam Taylor as treasurer. Nick is an architect by profession who has contributed drawings, advice and guidance to the Association over many years. Adam is a management accountant.
  In addition, Nikko Hårdråde-Grosz is now a trustee as is James Wheildon. These bring new skills to the table especially fund-raising.
  Stuart Pickover remains as vice-chairman and David Freeman is our newshound trustee in the matter of all things pertaining to local authority moves and shakes.

Some of the volunteers from the Searchlight Youth Centre 
in New Malden 
who have just completed a makeover of our community centre 
as part of their Prince’s Trust work.

The Wimbledon Community Association was founded in 1946 by a local group headed by Sir Cyril Black MP with the aim to promote the well-being of the broad community based around Wimbledon, to further cultural, social and physical welfare, and to foster a spirit of mutual service and friendship.

An independent registered charity, it is non-party political, non-sectarian and non-discriminatory on any social grounds.

Today, about 100 groups use the Community Centre annually. These cover a multitude of self-help, leisure, educational, health, consultancy and sporting enterprises embracing all age groups and all backgrounds.

Built on two floors, The Community Centre sports a 160-seat main hall and seven meeting rooms, the hiring out of which forms the Association's principal income.

WCA has been happy over the years to offer its facilities to the business community and many local firms are occasional users.

The number of person/visits over a 12-month period is estimated roughly at between 60,000 and 75,000.

We welcome advertising which will help to enable us recover the costs of maintaining and running this web site. The Wimbledon Community Association is a Charity and non-profit making organisation.

The main business of the WCA is the running of the Wimbledon Community Centre. As the name implies, the Centre is conveniently situated in the heart of Wimbledon, close to shops, restaurants/bars, library, theatre, cinema, schools, etc. The town is particularly well served by public transport with Wimbledon station (British Rail and London Transport underground) just around the corner. A tramway links Wimbledon to Croydon and beyond. Parking is available across the road in an underground car park with additional car parks close by. Metered street parking is also provided for.

The Centre (also known as the Sir Cyril Black Community Centre after one of the founders), offers a meeting place for a multitude of self-help, leisure, entertainment, education, health, consultancy and sporting enterprises. It offers a 160-seat hall with a stage and dressing room and seven meeting rooms of various sizes and functionality, which are for hire.