History of Hollington Community Centre

Following this us locals started lobbying the local churches for a hall to use, especially at the weekends.

The Methodist church in Battle Road used to open a couple of nights a week for Boys/Girls Brigade incorporating a Youth club. The Parish Hall in Wishing Tree Road ran a Monday night of snooker and table tennis for older teenagers, mostly for those connected to the church. After lots of pleas the Parish Hall opened for a Youth Club on Friday evenings 7 - 9 for us, giving the opportunity for Table Tennis, use of a snooker table and music. The Rector (Gordon Allison) decided that an investment to a Dansette record player and a monthly purchase of the top ten would keep us happy! Later this Youth Club opened on a Sunday night after church (you were supposed to go to St.Annes beforehand). This only lasted a little while as it sonn became an 'open house' on a Sunday.

During this time the local Councillors were lobbied for a place of our own or more opening of the venues. Eventually, after months of asking the Grove School was allocated to the Wishing Tree Youth Club for a Thursday. Disco and occasionally local bands would would come along and practice in the school hall. The Parish Hall at this point hosted dances once a fortnight in conjunction with the Scouts Hall so we had a dance every week, some of the being the Confederates, Talisman, Tornados, Henry Harvey Band and Chris Sayer to name a few. The entrance cost was 1/6d (7p).

As time progressed into the late 60's, the Wishing Tree special school was allocated for local clubs as Hollington was being developed. Hollington Boys club's premises in Alberta Road were demolished, this is where the strong connection with table tennis was formed through the late Sid Godfrey and the late John Lee. The Boys club also played football and some of them came to play at the Community Centre.

The Community Centre building was built in 1970/71/72, opening officially in 1974 for Archery, Badminton, Bingo, Over 60's club, Whist, Playschool, and weight lifting. As time went by the Community Centre expanded in membersand activities increased including after schools clubs, gymnastics, roller skating, Saturday morning films. Mike Haslan, the Centre Manager encouraged every new youth activity, the summer/Easter play schemes were so popular they was a waiting list.

Currently the Community Centre does not hold so many activities (see timetable) but is still open for activities (Bowls, Judo, Walking Cricket and Table Tennis), meetings, socials and use of the bar.

We are very keen to increase the use of the Centre with more groups, coffee mornings, presentations, exhibitions, dancing and parties/wedding receptions. To accomplish this we need more volunteers to be able to open up and support in general.

Unfortunately the Centre is now in need of tender loving care and our vision is to raise enough money to make considerable improvements to the building and facilities. The Centre relies entirely on fundrasing and income from activities to keep it going.