Forget the past - let’s all pull together

THE future of the Club For Young people remains the main topic of debate in Lyme Regis.

The news that the under fire trustees had decided to withdraw the Church Street premises from auction and sell the building to Lyme Regis Development Trust for £60,000 was greeted with a huge sigh of relief.

One of the trustees told me they were forced into putting the building up for auction because no offers had been forthcoming and action needed to be taken to prevent the club from deteriorating further.

The very act of going to auction had brought the matter to a head enabling the decision to be made to sell to the Development Trust.

The £60,000 asking price is to go into a fund to enable the trustees to make grants to local youth groups until the money runs out.

That seems a reasonable solution and the fundraising to raise the £60,000 has already started. However, there is a growing swell of public opinion who are saying, “Hang on a moment, the town raised most of the money to buy that building in the first place, why should we have to buy it again?”

There is huge support for another course of action, supported by former trustees Barbara Austin and Derek Hallett, who both resigned over the delay in meeting the town’s wishes, to sell the building for just one pound.

This will enable any money raised by the Development Trust, either through grants or fundraising activities, to be used to get the club premises habitable again.

Surveys carried out by Dorset County Council estimate there needs at least £250,000 spent on the former Church Hall, although many feel this is a gross exaggeration and that much of the repair work could be carried out by voluntary labour.

There are also many in the town who believe that if the trustees had exercised their duty of care, the building would not have ended up in the state that it is in.

Much of the dampness inside the building has been caused by blocked gutters. I understand that representations have been made to the Charity Commissioners about this issue.

Feelings did run very strong at the recent public meeting, called by the Lyme Youth Club Action Group, and I understand there are a few solicitors’ letters flying around.

I was at that meeting and whilst there were some very critical comments expressed about certain trustees, I don’t believe any of them were defamatory and therefore actionable.

It would be counter-productive if the animosity that clearly exists is allowed to fester.

All those who want the best for our young people need to forget the past and look to the future.

Two weeks ago there seemed no hope for the Club For Young People. Now there is.

Co-operation is the only way forward to provide the young people of Lyme with the youth club they need and deserve.

Lyme asides . . .

DISAPPOINTED and totally disgusted by England’s shameful exit from the World Cup, I decided to go for a walk on Sunday evening.

After a hugely hectic day on the seafront, Lyme looked at its most serene in the evening sun.

We strolled through the gardens and admired the new floral display marking the Guides’ 100th anniversary at the entrance to Langmoor Gardens.

Then we walked into Broad Street - and it looked like a bomb had hit it. The whole street was covered in litter where the seagulls (at their most annoying this time of year) had scavanged every bag put out by the traders.

Church Street was no better; in fact, it was worse. Some of the more responsible traders cover the rubbish in sheets or cardboard, but the worst offenders of course are those who stay in self-catering accommodation.

Pity the poor dustmen on Monday mornings.

Event of the week

SHE’S going to kill me for writing this but here goes...

Anyone who knows Jean Heppenstall knows that when she puts her mind to it. no challenge is too great.

Jean was the driving force behind the Lyme Community Players who over ten years raised thousands of pounds for local good causes.

She has an uncanny knack of getting people up on stage, discarding their inhibitions and having a good time.

Some have gone on to be very accomplished performers’ others enjoyed an experience they thought would come their way.

Sat watching the massively moving repatriations at Wootton Bassett, Jean decided she just had to do something.

That something was the two-night ENSA-type concert party at Uplyme Village Hall last week which raised over £3,000 and still counting for the the splendid Help For Heroes campaign.

It was unashamed nostalgia which was hugely entertaining, organised, as always with Jean, with military precision.

Jean enlisted some help from a few close friends and persuaded a number of those she has tutored and directed over the years to get up on stage again.

Well done to them all, especially Jack Marshall who is still tinkling the ivories and the grand

old age of 96.

Event of the week? More like event of the year.

Summer break

THIS will be my last column for a couple of months (thank God for that, I hear the chorus!).

I’m handing this page over to my daughter Francesca for her “Summertime in Lyme” column, so popular last year.

Francesca is back in Lyme for the summer after completing her second year at Southampton University and a spell on work experience at The Mirror in London.

It gives me a chance to take a breather for the summer months - and provide you all with a welcome respite from my weekly rant.

Have a great summer.

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