Volunteers rejoice at Community Asset Transfer

VOLUNTEERS at Lymm Youth and Community Centre are celebrating after Warrington Borough Council unanimously approved a Community Asset Transfer to the local community on a 30 year lease.
The centre is run entirely by volunteers and is self-sustaining without any regular income from the Local Authority, supporting itself by fundraising and DIY maintenance by volunteers.
The centre organises several popular events staffed by its volunteers including monthly Farmers and Craft Markets, Senior Socials, Film Shows and weekly Young Peoples Club, Junior Club and Thursday Market Day Breakfasts. It provides a venue for outside groups such as Zumba, Street Dance, Slimming World, Stage School, Keep Fit, Budo and even private Birthday Parties to hire at competitive rates; and supports community groups such as Messy Church, Domville Lodge, indoor bowls and table tennis, as well as playing a full part in local events such as Lymm May Queen, Lymm Festival, Lymm Dickensian Christmas etc.
Steve Griffiths, Chairman, said; “We are absolutely delighted at this news, but I must pay tribute to the dedication of former and continuing volunteers who kept the centre open through difficult times and helped achieve this result. The present administration has put its trust in us and granted the village to secure this facility in the village centre. We have shown that the Centre is needed and sustainable.
“We now need the people and local organisations to ensure that the centre goes forward run by the Community for the benefit of the Community in Lymm and across the Borough.”
Geraldine Reynolds, Treasurer of Lymm Youth and Community Association, said: “We would like to set on record our thanks and appreciation for the faith the Executive Committee of Warrington Borough Council has demonstrated in approving a Community Asset Transfer of Lymm Youth and Community Centre to the Association. Without
formal regulation by the authorities, we have still strived for and achieved self-imposed high standards in line with national guidelines and procedures but now fully appreciate the commitment and legal responsibilities we have taken on in managing a publicly owned asset. We are determined to continue to maintain and develop the centre for the
benefit of the community and to ensure its democratic management by the community. With a long secure lease we can now apply for grants and work towards improving the appearance of the building and hope now that we can attract more local volunteers to play their part in this new lease of life for this vital facility at the heart of the village.”
Su Williams, volunteer at the centre, said: “This gives us a wonderful opportunity, with the co-operation and support of Warrington Borough Council, to incorporate additional support services and provide a focal point for the people of Lymm, particularly those who are young, older, disabled or disadvantaged, but we hope also that our facilities will increasingly be available for people from across the Borough. (Recently we had hosted a National Citizenship programme for around 30 young people from all areas of Warrington and over the past few months a similar group of young people from across Warrington have used our premises for Sports Leadership training; and our regular Farmers and Craft Markets are used by both stall-holders and visitors from across the Borough.) We hope too that our experience in developing our Community Asset Transfer Proposal and the necessary Policies and Procedures, which we are happy to share, might help other community organisations throughout the Borough to improve and develop community services for the benefit of the whole of Warrington.”
Monthly meetings take place at the centre at 7.30pm on the 4th Tuesday of each month and are open to everyone.

Picture shows some of the volunteers celebrating at Warrington town hall