Another year passes and economic cuts enforced onto local councils by the new government will affect the way the centre is run. One of the main problems may be that any major project grants we apply for, will simply mean that there is less chance that we receive it and as you all know we have three major projects in the pipeline at present.

Along with grants that we need to apply to the recently re-organised KCC, we still need to raise additional funds to keep the centre open.

One of the first questions any organisation who we apply to for grants, is always, ‘what fundraising are we organising’? Understandably, why should anybody give us funding if we are not helping ourselves?

Every year we review our main income - the cost of hiring the centre and we have to be very careful not to price ourselves out of the market.

We do understand that if the hiring fees are increased it affects all the user groups at the centre.

The hiring fees were increased by 5% January 2010, so how do we avoid another increase next January?

One suggestion is that we abolish the affiliated groups and sections system and only give discounts to groups whose members actively help and support DCA fundraising activities. This will mean that although every group will pay the full hiring fee, hopefully, we could organise many more fundraising events.

Unfortunately over the past year we have had problems getting the message over to some groups how important their help really is, this is not only frustrating for us but very unfair on the groups who do help us.

Fundraising this year has included an Easter egg hunt, our annual Summer Fete, a Boot Fair and Bar B.Q. a Car Treasurer Hunt and planned for October, following the remarkable success of last years, a children’s Halloween party.

We feel that these events have all been first class events, so why is it when we ask for help, people look upon it as a chore?

We know people have busy lives but surely keeping the centre open, safe and clean is also part of our lives.

However, it’s not all DCA doom and gloom, this year’s accounts show that we have done considerably better than last year with a budget surplus of £3049.00.

Not a fantastic amount everyone will agree, but with cuts made by the centre management over the past year, which didn’t appear to inconvenience any of the centre groups too much, I honestly feel that the centre management are doing a fantastic job, considering we are all volunteers.

Early on this year, we had all the external doors replaced at the centre, at a cost of £9241.90. This was jointly funded by the KCC, Downswood Parish Council and the DCA.

I mentioned previously we have three major projects ongoing at present; these are replacement of the heating boilers, which although still working, now need replacing with a new and more efficient system.

New chairs and the hall flooring again, needs refurbishment.

Smaller projects currently planned are replacement of the old tea urn with a new plumbed in, water boiler system. This should take place during the maintenance week, which is commencing October 25^th.

The outside fencing is ongoing and it now appears that much of the fencing along Deringwood Drive needs to be repaired or renewed.

Comings & goings of regular groups last year, unfortunately we lost the Parkinson’s disease society and the short lived Street dancing group but we have a new circuit training club group starting every Monday, shortly and the daffodil club who meet on occasional Sundays.

Many of our centre user group representative have changed over the past year, including our Honorary Treasurer Pat who has now been replaced by Alex.

Sadly this year we lost our good friend Alan Clark who passed away.

Alan was not only on the DCA general committee for many years as a representative of the bowls club and DOARA, he was an active fundraiser at many of our events.

He was also a Downswood Parish Councillor. Alan will be sadly missed.

Overall as a community association, which includes all the hard working volunteers who give up their time for others, all the centre user groups members, staff and volunteers, all the individuals who come to the centre from time to time and the DCA centre management and staff who are rarely seen but carry out their duties efficiently, keeping the centre clean and safe for everyone to use, my thanks go to all these people – we should congratulate ourselves.

If I have forgotten to mention anyone or anything that has happened over the past year, please feel free to bring it to my attention.

Many thanks.

John Everett

DCA Chairman.