ANNUAL REPORT – HOWGILL PLAY CENTRE MAY 1980

This being the Play Centres first ‘annual’ report since the project began in 1978 – does in fact include a resume of the first two years work.

Before we look at the events and activities that have spanned these two years can we reflect on the past, back to 1977, and consider . . . . . . . . .

 

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

14/15 Howgill Street has had a varied history but for some years the building had been known as Wyndham House Nursery School. This was a private venture providing a full day service for pre school children.

Early in 1977 the Pre School Playgroups Association were approached for assistance as the Nursery had run into financial difficulty. PPA found themselves unable to assist with the major problems of Wyndham House Nursery School – high running costs, poor facilities and a building sadly in need of repair and decoration. However, it was recognised by PPA and the parents using Wyndham House that this was a potential resource – not to be lost. PPA was able to employ the services or their fieldworker whose task was to establish a Management group, formulate plans for the building, whilst negotiating for continued use of the premises.

In February 1977 the Nursery School closed and a Management group was formed, which included parents of children who had been attending the Nursery School, representatives of PPA, Social Services, Education, and Health along with other interested parties. It was soon recognised that the needs of children in the Whitehaven area extended far beyond the pre school age group and the Nursery School.
A more imaginative plan emerged incorporating many ideas which would incur considerable amounts of money and permanent staff. Save the Children Fund were approached for funding, whilst the management group continued the task of fund raising, repairs, alterations, decoration in order to bring the building up to standard for use as a family centre. Save the Children agreed to fund the project for a period of two years, 1978-1980 and a community worker was appointed.

AIMS: To cater for the needs of children, young people and families in the Whitehaven area.

These are very broad aims and many possible areas of need/work have been identified, however, our policy has been to avoid overlapping any existing area of provision and to work in supporting other agencies, these two objectives will be reflected through the activities of the past two years.

The centre is very much a community project – the direction of the project determined by those using facilities – and working at the ‘pace’ dictated by the community – responding to ‘needs’ presented or discovered. However, what is important all this is not only the provision of an activity or club – in filling in the gaps that no one else meets but in the individual development and growth of the people we meet and work with.