A New Lease of Life for Dean Court Community Centre!

The moment we’ve been waiting for is finally here… the lease was completed at midday today and Dean Court Community Centre is now ours for the next 25 years!

The Vale of White Horse District Council have issued us with a lease for Dean Court Community Centre 3 years to the day after the fire that burnt down the old building. How’s that for awesome timing?!

If you’d like to come and take a peek inside, we’ll be holding a press event at 5pm tomorrow (Friday) followed by an opportunity for anyone to drop in and have a look around the new centre until 6:30pm. We hope to organise a proper open day at some point in the future with a bit more notice, and there will also be our grand opening weekend on 5th and 6th April. 

Many, MANY thanks to all in DCCA who have been involved in getting us to this point, if I miss anyone off this list then I apologise and will add names later, but you all deserve some public recognition for being so great and for helping on the journey of the last 4 years. So, roughly in order of involvement, thanks Priscilla Waugh, Judy Roberts, Simon Shaw, Philip Hawtin, Maggie Wang, Jonny Kennedy, Sue Davis, Ruth Hettler, Paul Hettler, Annie Lewis, Rach Gallant, Stuart Larkin, Tim Hubbard, Dan Jones, Emma Bartlett, Eileen Elmitt, Phil Gallant, Liz Pestl, Mike Carter, Derek Rawson, Brian Sharland, Neil Clark, Brian Dent, Nasrin Dabri, Justin Andrewes, Naomi Sharland, Fiona Wheeler, Jane Harris, Bryan Goudman, David Wenham, Clare Wenham, Giorgio Bagordo, Jackie Cartwright… you are part of a legend ;).

I know there are many more who have popped up to help at crucial moments with fundraising events, minute taking, and advice giving – your help has been invaluable also, and you are much appreciated!

Thanks too, to those who ran the Social Club faithfully for so many years – I hope you will enjoy the new Centre and be at home here.

Here’s to the next 25 years!

Anna x

* with many thanks to Lizzie Hollow, previously of Pinnocks Way, for the awesome pun in the title.

Day 145 & 146: We’re back!

Well, you can stop restarting your computer and wondering if the internet broke last week, I can confirm that there were in fact, no updates posted on the DCCA website. This is because Priscilla is very poorly at the moment, so I am sure that you will join with me in sending her our very best wishes and hoping she feels much better soon! For now, I (Anna) have tentatively tried my hand at blogging and you will have to forgive the results.

In contrast to the web team’s lack of input last week, the site team have been hard at work and much has occurred since you last saw inside the Centre.

The floor is now fully screeded and beautifully smooth all over. The radiators are on full blast and the place is warm, bright and cosy – and this even before the colours have gone on the walls and floors! There is a lovely ramp up to the main entrance that will make our wonderful Centre accessible to anyone who wants to visit it, and duh duh daaaaaaaaaaaaa (as the Year 5s would say)…

 

We have a glass frontage to the entrance! We hope that this will make our Centre bright and inviting to all. Who knew the G-team were so great at creating a friendly welcome?!

Today, Graham has been sanding down the concrete pillars in the main hall, which will soon be painted a dark colour in contrast to the pale walls, providing the hall with a beautiful feature akin to the ribs of a living, breathing creature.

The question now is: Who is going to bring life to this building? Could you be one of the first people to come and run an activity in this exciting new space? Do you know of a club in need of a new meeting place? Would you like to come and help the building run by keeping it clean or unlocking for our users?

There’s room for everyone… get in touch with us!