In 2011 I was asked to join PULM (Plan for Upton and Lytchett Minster), at the time I was also a member of our parish Town Council and working full time teaching Anatomy and Physiology at the chiropractic College in Boscombe, a member of Upton in Bloom, and involved with the allotment committee. So, the prospect of becoming involved in yet another group, was a bit daunting – would I be able to commit enough time to this group? Well on the first meeting I attended they had some wonderful news – the lottery had granted a very large grant to the group to fulfil all the projects they intended to start up. The Champagne flowed that night (well a very small plastic cup amount was consumed actually), and I found myself agreeing to act as their secretary. Within a year, the project name was changed to the Beacon Project and several strands of this were started using the grant money. I became involved with re-starting the Carnival which had been absent for some 20 years. The beginnings of this venture, were a steep learning curve for all involved, but we kicked off the first one in 2012, with just 12 floats, and look at it now! One of the most popular events in the district with more and more people becoming involved every year (excepting of course 2020).

 

In 2014 The Community Centre in Upton was in crisis; a meeting was called to get more committee members so that it could continue running for all to enjoy. I was so moved by this appeal; I agreed to help and serve on the committee. Inevitably some things had to go if I was to give enough time to this group. I stepped down from the Town Council and the Carnival committee and acted as the Secretary for LUCA, until an opening came for Vice Chair, and in November 2019, I was voted in as Chair of the newly formed LUBCA-Hall. LUBCA is a fairly new charity and unlike the old charitable trust (LUCA) it has several groups under its name – namely the Carnival, Community Art Group and VenFest. The beauty of this new type of charity, which is called a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, (CIO) is that it can incorporate other organisations, making the benefits of a charity available to all its groups.

 

The halls have been open since 1992, and of course need some updating, as users will confirm, but compared to many other village halls it is a wonderful building with multi-functional use. I am committed to getting funding to make this the finest Community Centre, it can possibly be, not only, for all the residents of Upton and Lytchett Minster parish to enjoy, but their friends, relatives and associates too. Upton should take pride in this wonderful centre and help to keep the building going for ourselves and our future generations.

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