SOS campaign to save the Old School building on Ivinghoe Lawn for the use of the community.
Carol and Bob Corn, with the rest of the team, have been beavering away to try to keep the old school (Ivinghoe Centre) for the benefit of our community. We can now announce that we have proceeded to Stage 2 of the Community Asset Transfer process. This is where the building moves from the County Council hands to a community run Charitable Trust.
We are currently producing the Business Plan in order to start negotiating the lease agreement with the County Council. We are also planning a web site and beginning to look for fund raising opportunities, as well as many other interesting projects for the Centre. Volunteers are helping the
group to produce the business case, media needs, history project and the necessary fund-raising; more are welcome now to form small sub -groups. We will eventually be inviting people to help in the final preparation of the building, and again when we are up and running to assist in the running of the many activities.
Bucks County Council has already spent a lot of money moving the Post Office and creating the shop premises across the road and seems reluctant to spend very much on the Old School. They are however keen to support a viable plan for us to take it on.
We expect the county to put the building in good structural order and the community will need to form a Charitable Trust to run and maintain the building. There are several small businesses ready to hire the rooms and a café and I.T. hub are planned. It all looks very exciting and in future the building will be a useful and welcoming centre as it was in the past. With viable businesses renting the spaces
we expect that the old school will eventually be self-supporting. In order to apply for many of the Grants we are looking at, we have to prove that we have the backing of the local community and that we can raise funds ourselves, so we are looking for fund raising ideas. With so many voluntary jobs, generated by the BIG SOCIETY, there may be ways for some village fund raising projects to work together.
We are kicking off fund-raising in the village by organising our own Quiz Night and Auction of Promises in the Rose and Crown. The pub will generously provide food and space for 45 of us for a fun night out on 23rd May 7.00p.m! Tickets will be on sale via Sue 661910, or Bob and Carol 662267, or from the pub direct, at £10 each person who forms part of a team (max. size 5). May we auction your skills? We would like to offer an hour’s ironing, two hours gardening, CV or letter writing, a
painted portrait of a neighbour or something else more to your liking! What would you offer to help us raise much needed funds for SOS? Do let us know in advance so we can add you to offer to the publicity later on.
The processes involved in getting our old school back take time, but so far all is looking promising. There will be a need to expand the small team soon and form the Charitable Trust with the required officers of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, so all those who expressed an interest in keeping the school last summer, or who are inspired to be involved, please contact Carol and Bob again on 01296 662267, or thecorns@talk21.com or come to a Monday meeting in the Rose and Crown. The pub will tell you when the next one will be.
There will be an open meeting in Ivinghoe Town Hall in May with a chance to look inside the Old School Building, do look at the flier that comes with this magazine, look in the Beacon or Pitstone Parish Post or check the village notice boards.
Alex Wynn and Sue Nicholls