Town Council supports Friends of the Carrs, dementia cafe and theatre company

friendsofcarrs

Wilmslow Town Council agreed to award three grants at their monthly meeting on Monday, 16th January, although one award was for much less than the amount requested.

At the meeting of the Finance Committee on December 12th four grant applications were considered. These were from the Friends of the Carrs for £109.23, Churches Together in Wilmslow for £1600, Alderley & Wilmslow Musical Theatre Company for £3262 and the Wilmslow Parochial Church Council for £10,000.

Speaking at the Town Council on Monday, 16th January, Councillor David Pincombe reported that the PCC have subsequently withdrawn their grant application for £10,000 to go towards the cost of replacing their 150-year-old organ at St Bartholomew's Church.

Firstly, councillors unanimiously agreed to approve an application from the Friends of the Carrs for £109.23 to cover the cost of their insurance and compulsory membership of the Conservation Volunteers to cover annual activities such as litter picking, river bank maintenance, tree and wildflower planting and grass cutting as well as work to control invasive species.

Councillor David Pincombe said "During 2016 they have planted in the order of some £500 wild flowers, bulbs and approximately 100 sapling trees. The Finance Committee were unanimous in their support of this grant and recommend the full amount of £109.23 be awarded along with the thanks of the Town Council for all of the splendid work that the Friends of the Carrs undertake each year on behalf of Wilmslow residents."

Councillor Gary Barton commented "I second this recommendation and think it's an excellent idea and exactly what we're here to do to support other voluntary organisations and the work they do."

Secondly they approved a grant application for £1600 from the Churches Together in Wilmslow to assist the funding of setting up a cafe in Wilmslow to cater for people suffering from dementia problems. The cafe will be situated in Wilmslow Methodist Church on Water Lane and be operated by volunteers from within the Churches Together in Wilmslow community. Initially the intention is to open the cafe on a weekly basis, on the same day each week.

The Finance Committee were unanimous in their support of this project and recommended that the full amount of £1600 be awarded.

Councillor Frank McCarthy said "I went along to the Churches Together meeting last week when this was discussed. I can tell you the very first time they opened this cafe it had 40 people turn up. They come as couples, the person who is suffering with dementia with someone who is supporting them.

"They were quite amazed at the turnout for the first time and it looks as though this is actually going to be growing. It is a marvellous thing to bring people out. It's the sort of thing we should support and not just now but also in the future when it grows."

Councillor Gary Barton commented "I think it's an excellent idea. I think one of the most noted aspects of Wilmslow is that we have an older than average population and this is a disease that affects the older population much more highly than it does any other elements so I think anything we can do to support residents suffering in that way would be an excellent idea and I certainly support this."

Thirdly Wilmslow Town Council considered a grant application from Alderley & Wilmslow Musical Theatre Company for £3262 to cover the cost of hiring the Evans Theatre at Wilmslow Leisure Centre for five days in November 2016 for their performances of White Christmas.

Councillor David Pincombe explained "The production failed to meet its anticipated break-even target which required 80% of the seats being sold, frankly only some 60% were sold and consequently there was cause for loss of income.

"In previous years the Town Council has supported the theatre company with awards of £3762 last year, £750 the year before and £5000 in 2013.

"The Finance Committee after fully considering the grant, and taking into account the previous awards that have been made by the Town Council, decided we would not support the amount requested for several reasons.

"We believe that this was becoming an annual request and also that the theatre company itself needed to address their future and financing in a better manner and one point in particular that was raised - why are they being charged £3262 by Cheshire East for the hire of the Evans Theatre for five days? - when after all it is an amenity which belongs to Cheshire East Council.

"What we decided in the end, the Finance Committee agreed that a nominal award of £500 be awarded for payment towards the great request."

Councillor Angela McPake "That's what Cheshire East charge and they charge every organisation, whether a charity or whatever they are, if you want to perform in Wilmslow you have to pay the charges and we've tried really hard over the years, I didn't get particularly involved last year but certainly in my tenure we tried really hard to convince Cheshire East to do something different and, as I am sure the application says somewhere, we considered it a win this year when they didn't charge us any more money but yes it is an extortionant amount of money. It is the biggest single biggest cost, more than the sets, more than the band."

Town Councillors all voted in favour of awarding £500 to the Alderley & Wilmslow Musical Theatre Company.

Photo: Volunteers from Friends of the Carrs planting apple trees to replace ones that were destroyed by vandals in 2015.

Tags:
Grants, Wilmslow Town Council
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Pete Taylor
Thursday 19th January 2017 at 5:22 pm
The first two grants are both to very worthwhile causes, which bring benefits to the people of Wilmslow; I'm not sure about propping up the theatre company though.

Well done to the Friends of the Carrs.
Terry Roeves
Saturday 21st January 2017 at 12:49 pm
The Cafe has got off to a flying start and Wilmslow is all the better for it. The team are excellent. Delighted that WTC is contributing to the running costs.
Daphne our Hearing Dog for the Deaf puppy in training will be there in a supporting role.
Barry Buxton
Wednesday 25th January 2017 at 3:59 pm
Agree with Pete Taylor.

I hope this is the last time that Alderley & Wilmslow Musical Theatre Company ask for a public subsidy. A 60% ticket sale should be telling them something about how unrealistic their performance ambitions are.