A note from the Chairman, David Curtis

The Finningham Social and Amenities Committee was set up in response to a questionnaire issued by the Parish Council after receiving comments from parishioners about the lack of social events and activities within the village.

The first Committee and Officers were elected at a Public Meeting on the 10th December 2001. FSAC is accountable to the parishioners of Finningham for organising events that will encourage and develop community spirit.

In the early days of the Committee many fund raising activities were organised culminating in a Golden Jubilee Celebration held on the 15th June 2002 on the village green. Around the same time the 49 Club was created and it is this Club that provides the steady flow of funds that enables the current activities to continue.

Over the last five years the Committee has organised events including, discos, cricket matches, dances, sponsored walk,  bulb and tree planting. As time passed the Committee has responded to changes in activities that meet current interest and in 2007 events managed included village walks, a craft fair and garage sales.

FSAC recognises the need to keep parishioners informed of its activities and of other matters related to the village. Every two months a Newsletter is produced and delivered to each household. FSAC has initiated the forming of a Good Neighbourhood Scheme that will be launched in 2008 and recently volunteers cleaned the road signs and street names situated in the parish. During the summer months, we are visited by the Rural Coffee Caravan, which enables people to meet and to have access to leaflets and booklets issued by numerous organisations and government agencies.

The members of the 49 Club demonstrate the local belief in the importance of keeping the village alive and it is through their generosity that we can provide a free Christmas Dinner at the White Horse to pensioners in the parish.

Like so many other similar organisations FSAC needs active volunteers to sustain the momentum and to provide new energy to our activities. Equally we need the parishioners to come forward with ideas that will support our aim. The decline of rural communities is of great concern and it is abundantly clear that the remedy lies with us and we must not sit back and rely on others outside our community.

A selection of Articles from the latest Newsletter issue

NEWS FROM THE SOCIAL AND AMENITIES

COMMITTEE

Under construction