Village Hall Committee 4
Village Hall Committee 4
Plans
for the second Aire Faire to be held on 12th May were almost complete.
The venue for this and subsequent ones was the much more accessible
Myrtle Park in Bingley. There had been some good publicity including
newspaper photographs of a preview of one of the games when strapping
six foot Ronnie Hamer, in curly wig and fairy costume, demonstrated
ferrying balloons across the river Aire on a raft. Ronnie was a good
swimmer and Health & Safety operated with a lighter touch in those
days, but the Aire was not as clean as it has become so he was cautioned
that if he fell in (he did) he must at all costs keep his mouth shut.
Good
lucky programme prizes boosted advance sales – for adults a mini
weekend for two in London, for children six horse riding lessons, plus
lots of other prizes generously donated by local businesses. The
programmes stated a back-up date of the following weekend in the event
of bad weather, but it was not needed. There was some rain, but nothing
like the previous year.
Former
WVS chairman Marcus Catling, by this time a Bingley Councillor, led a
grand parade of competitors, six junior and eight senior teams. The
Knockout games were based on plans from the TV series, with additions
and modifications by the hall committee. There were stalls, refreshments
organised by the social committee, and various entertainments although
there was potential disaster when, only four days before the event,
Marshalls’ Amusements pulled out. They had been warned by the Showmen’s
Guild that they could not attend because of the proximity of Bingley
Children’s Gala. It took some frantic telephoning by committee members
to provide alternatives.
All
the hard work and anxious moments proved worthwhile when more than
8,000 people came and the final profit was £1,600. It seemed that there
was a real demand for an outdoor event in Bingley at the beginning of
the summer season. Aire Faire 75 for next May immediately took its place
on the agenda.
With
fund raising going well and the grants secured, the society now sent a
circular to village organisations for their comments about the kind of
accommodation and facilities they though were needed.
When
the possibility of adding a youth club was first considered, it was not
certain that two buildings would fit on the site and serious
consideration was given to a site behind the land in Main Street owned
by the Church of England. Residents in Spring Park Road and Tweedy
Street were notified of the possibility of a hall and youth centre on
the land between the two roads. The trustees of the United Reformed
Church also approached the hall committee about using the old Sunday
School building at the corner of Chapel Row and Main Street. This was
ruled out after an architect’s report. There were some objections from
residents in Spring Park Road and Tweedy Street and Bradford’s officers
preferred the Firth Lane site, close to existing recreational facilities
(tennis court, bowling green, children’s play area) and car parking
space. News that this would definitely be the site was announced in
October.
Now
the concept began to grow beyond anything the original WVS members
could have envisaged. The new Bradford Metropolitan District Council had
plans somewhere down the line for a youth centre somewhere in the area
which included Wilsden. Now they decided to bring this forward and add
in their budget for that. Libraries and Recreation found money,
particularly so that a library could be set up in the hall each week,
giving better facilities than the existing mobile library service.
Scouts and Guides made a contribution to extend the basement area to
give a meeting room mainly for uniformed youth groups, and some storage
space for them.
The final finances were a far cry from the £20,000 first estimated in 1971.
Bradford Metropolitan District Council:
Further Education Panel Youth Work £50,000
Recreation £5,000
Libraries £10,000
Scouts, Guides etc £1,500
Wilsden Village Society:
Own funds £14,125
Grant from LA £11,125
Grant from DES £22,250
TOTAL £114,000