Use Great Bedwyn club or lose it
4:00pm Thursday 9th February 2012 in News
Katie and Molly Nice, Tom Barnett, Jane Pendry, Jasmin and Megan Breakspear and Samantha Cox
Villagers in Great Bedwyn are being given a use it or lose it ultimatum by the committee that runs the Royal British Legion Club after a crisis meeting failed to attract any support other than from club members.
The committee met in the clubhouse in High Street on January 27 to try to get more villagers to join in club activities but only existing stalwarts turned up, said vice chairman Jane Pendry.
The meeting was well advertised with posters but Mrs Pendry said: “We were delighted that all our old supporters turned up but not many of the community.”
She said that unless more support was forthcoming from the village in the next five months the committee would have to shut the club down, two years after a rescue bid was mounted to get it back on its feet again.
“The message we delivered was that if the community want to keep the facility open, then they need to step up, otherwise the committee aim to close the club following the Jubilee celebrations in June,” said Mrs Pendry.
As well as running social events and maintaining the service responsibility of the RBL branch in support of ex-service personnel and their families, the club now has a thriving new Young Members section for 14 to 18-year-olds who, said Mrs Pendry, organise their own fund-raising activities and events with only a little adult guidance.
Events in the bar include karaoke, live music, pool and other activities, all in a “wonderful, warm atmosphere”, added Mrs Pendry.
Current users include families with young children and there are different activities on different evenings: pool league on Wednesdays; family activities on Fridays and Sunday lunchtimes.
Mrs Pendry said: “The hall is used by all sorts of community groups and it is also hired for funerals, christenings and weddings.”
There was no requirement any longer for RBL members to have served with one of the armed forces. Membership costs £16.50 a year.
“The community appreciate the facility being there but don’t realise that if the club and the Legion branch are not supported, the British Legion head office, who own the building, will sell it on the open market.”
Anyone interested in joining the club should call Mrs Pendry on 07774 516529.
