Earlier this year we met the Chair of Dunmow Friendship Club, Helen Manley who told us about the social club and the help it needed
Founded in 1969, the Dunmow Flitch Friendship Club will celebrate 50 years or friendship and activities for the older people of Dunmow and surrounding villages. The group holds monthly social evenings, with games, refreshments and live entertainment (a different entertainer is booked each month.) The club is popular and enjoyed by many, but with an ageing membership was finding it difficult to fill key committee posts – with many members having already served during the history of the group and not wanting the responsibility of running a charity. CVS Uttlesford were asked if there was anything we could do to help. The answer was a resounding Yes!
CVS Uttlesford has a combined experience of over thirty years of managing and developing charities and community groups. We were immediately able to offer the friendship club Treasury and Secretary support, with CVSU team member Richard Corby attending committee meetings in an advisory capacity from July 2018. Club members will vote at their AGM in October to officially appoint CVSU as a trustee of the group.
In addition to providing immediate guidance, CVSU was asked to prepare a new constitution for the group, which achieved charitable status in 1995. The world has changed much since then, and it was felt the original constitution needed to be refreshed, to ensure it complied with current guidance and legislation. CVSU has prepared a new 17 page document utilising recommendations from the Charity Commission for England and Wales, and members will be presented with a resolution to adopt the new constitution in October.
Our support is ongoing, this month recruiting three volunteers to help with setting up of tables and chairs on club nights. We have established a Facebook page for the group to raise awareness and will be working with the committee over the next year to increase membership and recruit new committee member for posts that are coming vacant, including Entertainment Secretary from November.
If you are interested in joining the Dunmow Flitch Friendship Club email friendshipclub@cvsu.org.uk for further details. Annual membership is £16 per member, or you can try a couple of socials for just £3 on the door. You will find the group to be warm, welcoming and inclusive.
The next social will be on Thursday 6th September as Rowena Davey Centre, starting at 6.00 p.m. Activities normally conclude by 9.00 p.m.
