Schull Businesses
- @ Your Leisure
NOTICE ;
To all locals and visitors to Schull village
Re-launch of @Your Leisure as expanded, community based, “not-for-profit”
As many of you may be aware, @Your leisure, also affectionately known as “Pauline’s”, has been providing a fantastic facility for the children and visitors to the village for a number of years. However, I expect you may not be surprised that the financial viability of the centre as a business had been challenged for some time, and it is clear that it is not possible to continue on the current model, with Pauline dedicating an enormous amount of her time and own resources to keep the centre going. What seemed like a good business proposition in the hefty days of the Celtic Tiger - is no longer feasible.
Over the past few months a small committee have come together and taken soundings to explore ways to both continue what has been created, and to see if we can create a viable and sustainable model going forward. In doing so, we have consulted with a good number of interested local people, and also carried out a needs survey with local children, working closely with the local primary and secondary schools. There is an enormous enthusiasm from both the children, and also from the grown- ups to keep the centre going. There are also an endless set of exciting suggestions and ideas on how we can develop and expand what is provided.
We are pleased to announce that we are now in the final stages of our deliberations, and are also in the final stage of agreeing a new and more favourable lease on the main street premises.
This following are the bones of our seven point plan (no political biases implied; anyone could have five)
1. Effective immediately, the centre will transition from an independent business run by Pauline, to a “not-for profit” club, under the guidance of six person committee including Pauline, and also Nellie Cotter, David O Reilly, Hilary McCarthy, Walter Ryan Purcell and James Crowley.
2. We want to extend what is offered to complement the activities at the high street centre with a range of fun based, cultural/artistic/skill building courses and activities. To this end, we have very kindly been offered, the use of a great room in the old national school behind the church. This should give us considerably more flexibility in what we can do.
3. The plan is to staff the centre on the high street to the very maximum extent using capable local volunteers; clearly the number of hours that the centre will be open will depend on the number of reliable volunteers that will generously give of their time. To avoid any doubts, Pauline is fully committed to being there as one of the most regular volunteers; so children who love her so much - do not worry!!!
4. The committee have appointed Helen Wells, as the unit manager for the coming year; she has kindly offered a considerable amount of her time on a voluntary basis to coordinate the management of the centre, coordinate volunteer rotas and the running of the centre on behalf of the committee.
5. The centre will close for a short period so we can complete the transition arrangements, refresh and upgrade the high street facility and prepare for a fresh re-launch which is planned for Friday April 8th. We understand this will be an inconvenience on the short term, particularly for those children who regularly use the centre. We apologise for this inconvenience.
6. In advance of the launch, we will be holding a number of information, training and recruitment sessions with individuals who would like to put themselves forward as volunteers. In these sessions we will provide some basic guidance on what it might mean to be a volunteer, provide some tips on how to engage with the children who come in, and answer any questions you may have. Dates for these sessions will be communicated over the next few weeks. We want to reach out to the full community to get as good a cross section of people to be volunteers as possible.
7. To help the future financial viability of the centre, and complement the cash generated at the centre itself, we will be looking at some considerable supplementary fundraising sources to help cover the overhead costs such as rent, rates etc. Any surpluses (we hope) will be fully reinvested in activities and courses for the children. In addition to the odd quiz, we will be looking for those who like and support what we are trying to continue and develop - to come forwards as either “friends of Schull @ Your leisure”, for a modest annual donation, or “partners of @ Your leisure”, for businesses or people who might be able to contribute a larger amount. In advance of such fundraising, we are pleased that, a small number of patrons have come forward, who are very generously helping to fund financial aspects of the transition, and give the centre a fair start over the next few months.
If you would like to help, volunteer, or would like to find out more please speak to Helen, or indeed to any member of the committee. Any suggestions or ideas you have would be hugely welcome - including ideas for courses and activities to complement what the centre can offer the children in the community.
Kind regards
Pauline Cotter, Nellie Cotter,
Hilary McCarthy; David O Reilly,
Walter Ryan Purcell, James Crowley, (Chairman)
|
