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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.
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