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Committee
Members
The
committee would welcome new members.
It is especially keen to encourage a representation from the younger members
of the community.
Volunteers are sought for all manner of tasks and especially local people
with professional and technical skills.
The following members were elected at the Centre's Annual General Meeting 7th June 2007.
| Janet Aspin (Chair Fund Raising Group) |
|
Janet
lives and works in Blackburn. After serving on the committee for 12
months, Janet was elected Secretary at the 2006 AGM and is now the Chair
of the fund raising group. |
 |
| Merryl Connell (committee member) | |
Married
with three grown up sons, Merryl lives in the village and runs the family
business, Britannia Gallery. She joined the Community Centre Committee
as a 17 year old, representing the Youth Club: "I'm sure that some
of the ‘Elders’ thought “What’s that teenager
doing? She knows nowt!” but over the years they have listened
to some of my ideas." Merryl has also represented the Brownies,
the Beavers and the Youth Club (as a leader). She held the position of Vice Chairperson for a number of years then Chairperson until family circumstances changed and she had to devote more of her time to the business and family. Merryl says she has seen lots of changes over the years and, happily, most have led to improvements in the amenities of the Centre for its users. |
 |
| Seamus Heffernan (committee member & Shamrock representative) |
|
Seamus
lives in Balderstone and has served on the committee for 2 years. Together
with Janet Aspin under the banner of Shamrock Promotions, he organises
entertainment events at the Centre. The Centre has an agreement with
Shamrock Promotions whereby 12 events per year will be staged at the
venue where the Centre will earn a cut of the bar profit as well as
a fee for the use of the building. Seamus is a sound engineer and owns and operates Shamrock Recording Studio at Balderstone. He is also a qualified teacher and for the last 2 years has taught a sound technology course at Runshaw FE college in Chorley. |
 |
| Joy Heffernan (committee member) | |
The
Heffernans have lived in Balderstone since 1960 and Joy has an interest
in the local community as well as in Blackburn. Joy is vice chair of
the Balderstone Parish Council and is on the MBCC committee as the Parish
representative (the Parish being one of the trustees of the Centre).
Joy is also chair of the Friends of Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery,
editor of Home News, the magazine for the British Association of Friends
of Museums. Joy serves on the Fabric Advisory Committee of Blackburn Cathedral and is an active member of the Blackburn Civic Society. Her many other interests include the theatre, opera and dance she feels passionately about re-cycling and the stewarding of the countryside. |
 |
| Maureen Britcliffe (Chair & Toddler Group representative) | |
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Married with three adult children, two girls one boy and two grandchildren, one boy one girl. Maureen has lived in Mellor Brook for 30 years. All the children attended or are still attending Balderstone School and have close connections with Balderstone Church. She was the leader of the Young Families Group (prior to the name change to Ladies Fellowship) which nicely incorporated the ageing membership !! Maureen also ran a Slimming and Good Health Club on behalf of Lancs County Council in the Community Centre, prior to returning to drawing office work at BT. At a later date she joined Lancs Constabulary ‘E’ Division Crime Prevention Department, where she had responsibility for Community Initiatives such as Neighbourhood Watch and Crime Prevention Advice. After leaving Lancs Constabulary (on health grounds) she continued to work on a voluntary basis as a Patient Liaison Co-Ordinator at the former Queens Park Hospital and also as a volunteer Speaker in Schools for Heart Research UK.Together with her youngest daughter Rachael she helped set up the present Parent & Toddler Group. Rachael at that time was running Mellor Brook Playgroup with Sarah Bolton. Maureen attended the emergency meeting at Mellor Brook Community Centre (when the threat of closure was imminent) and has since been involved as a member, secretary and, most recently as chair. |
[ awaiting photo ] |
| George Hayes (committee member) | |
[ awaiting photo ]
|
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| Pauline Bell (Secretary) | |
|
Pauline was born and grew up in Balderstone. She went to school in Mellor Brook and was part of the last group of children to attend the School before it closed and they all transferred to Balderstone. When the Centre opened in 1966 her Father, Ernest was part of the proceedings, serving on the committee in many roles. As the years went by, the whole family became involved in many of the activities, hardly a Jumble sale went by without some input from her Mother and friends (remember Mrs B and Dorothy Sharples?). After her Father died in 1990 (was it that long ago?) she volunteered to replace him on the committee and has remained ever since! |
 |
| Joan Woolmington (committee member & WI representative) | |
As
a teenager to her early 20s, Joan worked as jeweller’s assistant
at Worswicks in what was then Thwaitses Arcade in Blackburn. Married
an airman, bought a house in Mill Hill and raised a son Tony. Moved
to Ribchester, became an Avon Lady, learning a great deal about makeup
and cosmetics. For a year was assistant curator of Ribchester’s
Roman museum. Took over Somerwood Cattery in Stoneygate Lane and was
proprietor for some 13 years. Joan became (and still is) makeup lady for Ribchester Amateur Theatrical Society (RATS) and also for Blackburn Drama Society. Moved to Mellor Brook in 1994. Joined Samlesbury W.I. where she became treasurer until the group disbanded. Then, with several others, joined the Balderstone WI group where she was elected President. Joined the Community Centre committee to give support as WI representative. |
 |
| Alan Woolmington (Acting Treasurer) | |
|
Alan left
School at 15 to join Philips (Mullards, as then was) as a lab assistant.
Studied Electrical Engineering to HNC and Grad IEE. Spent 3 years in
the RAF teaching radar techniques. Married Joan while still serving.
Returned to Philips in a technical trouble-shooting role in radio valve
manufacture. Alan spent much time in Holland, also Germany, France and Spain liaising with Philips development groups. He became department head and subsequently Technical and Quality Manager. Alan later joined Mullard Simonstone in a similar role making colour and monochrome television picture tubes. Took early retirement in 1984 joining his wife to assist in running her Cattery. Joined the Centre committee at the same time as Joan. |
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| Alison Bell (committee member & Drama Group representative) | |
[ awaiting photo ]
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