As the newly elected Chairman of the Kenn Centre Management Committee, I’d like to take this opportunity of providing an update of the progress made at the Centre in the first year of operation.

I must start by paying tribute to my predecessor, Jackie Sands, and all the committee members and volunteers who kept the Centre going during the first year. I know how many hours of hard work have gone into this task.

It’s been a more successful year than we expected and it’s ended with the Kenn Centre proving to be a profitable concern, which is something a few people felt wasn’t possible. Clearly, we are facing recessionary times and we have tailored our financial forecast for the coming year accordingly. Nevertheless, I am confident that we shall also see new activities taking place at the Centre.

It has been a pleasure to see so many successful events happening at the Centre, from the pantomime in July, to the Art Show, the “Just For Laughs” fundraiser, a number of Villages in Action events and the recent presentation by the youth drama group of Peter Pan.

It has also been good to see new local groups develop activities such as Keep Fit, Pilates, Yoga and Short Mat Bowls.

The Committee was particularly pleased to have been able to accommodate the Wake for the late Des Amos, who had been a stalwart supporter of the Hall project. Such was Des’ popularity that no other facility could cope with the numbers attending this event.

I have no doubt whatsoever that the success of the Centre’s first year has fully vindicated the foresight shown by the original Committee (I wasn’t one of them) in their choice of design for the replacement for the old village hall. Anything bigger would have been unworkable, anything smaller would not have coped with so many of the activities we have enjoyed this year.

On small disappointment has been the low take up of Committee places by the regular Community groups (less than 25%). I shall be contacting the others in the near future to see if we can rectify that.

There are still a couple of other places available on the Management Committee. If you’re interested, please make yourself know to any of the existing Committee.

I look forward to another successful year at the Kenn Centre and hope I can keep the Parish informed, and hopefully involved, via the pages of Haldon Views.

Peter Vickery

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