CHRISTMAS NEWSLETTER
TO THE FRIENDS OF WINTON HOUSE CENTRE
A very Happy Christmas to all our Friends. The last year
has been very enjoyable and it seems busier than ever. We are managing in the Pop-In with fewer than
ever volunteers, some of whom are doing two or even three shifts per week. In fact we could do with two more on a Wednesday
and Thursday between 11 and 1pm. However
it is so good to see the Pop-In being used more, as in these times of credit
crunch, we provide better value than ever. We haven’t done any checking of statistics this
year, but I can tell that more and more people are coming in and using our
services. So we are living up to our
aim of helping the elderly, the disabled and families with children.
Many
groups use the Centre. Here is the 2009
list for you:
8
O’Clock Club
Age
Concern
Age
Concern Computers
Alcoholics
Anonymous Families Group, and Friday and Saturday Groups
Amnesty
International
Bell
Hill Craft Group
Chernobyl
Children’s Group
Christadelphians
Clinical
Supervision NHS
Community
First (Cultural Diversity Forum)
Creative
Writing
Early
Days Group of 1st time mothers – NCT
East
Hants Labour Party
East
Hants Liberal Democrats
Expedition
to Romania Churcher’s College
Friends
of Guiding
Friends
of
Greening
Petersfield
Headway
Home-Start
Butser
Jigsaw
Library
Knitting
& Crochet Group
Lion
& Unicorn Players
Literary
Society
NHS
Mental Health Team
Office
Desk – Gill Allen
Office
Desk Fridays – Age Concern
Outings
for the Housebound
Petersfield
Arts & Crafts Society
Petersfield
Cricket Club
Petersfield
Evening Floral Group
Petersfield
Lions
Petersfield
Tomorrow
Petersfield
Twinning
Petersfield
Voluntary Care Group
Poetry
Group (now closed down)
RNLI
Scope
Scout
Fellowship
Sight
Loss Information
St
Mary’s Sheet PCC
St
Peter’s
U3A
Handbells
WEA
Winton
House Trust
Write
Now
Writing
Group
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Friends are invited to our Christmas Party which is on Thursday 17th
December from 3.00 pm – 4.00 pm in the Pop-In.
I do hope that as many of you who can will come, as it is our way of
saying thank you for supporting us.
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have enjoyed holding various events this year and have continued with our
annual Sponsored Cycle and Charity Bridge Luncheon both in July. This year we liaised with the Petersfield Round
Table and their “Ups and Downs” cycle ride.
The addition of our 6 mile family-friendly route complemented their
harder 12 mile and 25 mile routes up or around Butser Hill. So this is to become an annual event. We have also run coffee mornings on Saturdays
when the Pop-In has not been in use by another charity, which would take
preference. Our two 6-monthly coffee
mornings were held in May and November.
In May we always have a plant stall now on the front step, so if you
have any plants at that time of the year, please let us have them. The November coffee morning
was not so well supported owing to the poor weather. We did however draw the Grand Raffle prizes
this November, something we aim to do every other year. We realise that it is difficult to sell
tickets every year.
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year I am due to retire on 6th May and the Trustees will be looking
for a new Centre Manager in the new year, so that we may have a good
handover. It is a lovely job which I’m
sure will suit somebody local down to the ground. If you know of anybody suitable, then please
let one of our Trustees know. Not only
do I sit in the office, trying to smile at everyone who comes in, but I also do
the following:
Personnel
recruitment;
Pop-In
and Office shift rotas;
Trouble-shooting;
PR
and event managing;
Premises
problems;
Budgets;
The
Website;
Food
Hygiene Training and Testing
Health
& Safety
Child
and Vulnerable Adult Protection;
Renting
out rooms to groups;
Renting
out the office desk to individuals;
Renting
out community equipment;
Supervising
about 60 staff;
Attending meetings.
I
do this in 15-18 hours per week.
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the new year we are planning a large Charity Auction. It is to be held at the Herne Farm Leisure
Centre on Saturday 13th February, and we are aiming to raise about
£2K. If you have anything to put in the
auction for us, then please let us know.
We can store items in our cellar.
Thank you so much for all
your support as a Friend, and a very Happy New Year to you all.
</p>Alison Gauld, Centre Manager, Winton
House Centre, 18 High Street, Petersfield. GU32 3JL