Launch of the East Riding Association of Rural Community Buildings
Vice Lord Lieutenant, Mr Andrew Marr, and the Chairman of the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Cllr Kay West, joined Ward Councillors, community building management committee members from across the region and key rural service providers, to celebrate the launch of the newly established, East Riding Association of Rural Community Buildings, on Saturday, 24 September 2011 at Tickton Village Hall.
The event, which was followed by the Association’s inaugural Annual General Meeting, was organised by Humber and Wolds Rural Community Council (HWRCC).
HWRCC’s Chairman, Bryan Davis, opened the event by saying that this was a landmark event for rural community buildings. He reported that the formation of the Association will provide the legal structure for management committees to come together and collaboratively generate income and negotiate cost-savings, to ultimately help in securing the future of our rural community buildings.
The Association will also provide a collective voice for the region’s rural community building committees, providing a clearer mechanism to influence rural policy at local and national level.
Margaret Kirk, HWRCC’s Village Hall Advisor, who has led the formation of the Association, talked about why the Rural Community Council believed there was a need for a peer support mechanism.
“There are almost 160 rural community buildings across the region, the majority of which are charitable trusts managed by local volunteers. With the evident closure of many rural services, including post offices, pubs and local shops, the need for these community facilities to remain sustainable has never been more important. In many villages as well as providing the ‘only’ place where local people can meet/come together, the community building is now providing access to a number of services and activities that otherwise could not be provided within these localities. Many rural residents would be isolated if they could not access these invaluable facilities locally.”
“Over two years ago Humber and Wolds Rural Community Council established two Community Building Networks in the East Riding of Yorkshire to provide management committees with a peer support mechanism. These networking opportunities have allowed committees to share ideas, concerns and receive training on relative subjects. It is the success of these networks that has led to them coming together to form the East Riding Association of Rural Community Buildings.”
She added: “I am very proud to have been part of the development of this new Association and am looking forward to being part of the Management Group, and achieving the objectives!”
Cllr Kay West thanked Humber and Wolds Rural Community Council and the management committees, on behalf of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, for establishing this much-needed Association.
Humber and Wolds Rural Commmunity Council, an independent charity, has provided a dedicated support service for rural community building management committees since it was established in 1975.
To find out more about the service and how to become a member of the East Riding Association of Rural Community Buildings (ERA of CRB’s), please download full details from the web site or contact Margaret Kirk.
T: 01430 430904 E: margaret.kirk@hwrcc.org.uk
