Long-serving volunteers Don and Heather Heaslip outside Fencourt Hall.
Fencourt Hall’s administrative committee has reached desperation point, saying it will have to hand the building’s keys over to Waipā District Council if it can’t find new volunteers.
The committee will hold a meeting at the hall early next month in a last-ditch attempt to sort out the problem.
“We want to make sure the hall keeps being run by Fencourt people for Fencourt people,” said Don Heaslip, who has chaired the committee for 54 years and is now keen to step down.
He took over the chairman’s role in 1969, when Keith Holyoake was New Zealand’s prime minister, The Beatles were top of the pops and purple socks were all the rage.
Back then, every time someone moved to the district they were welcomed or farewelled with a function in the hall, and dances were held annually to see in every new year.
As well serving as chairman, Don has been voluntarily mowing the hall’s lawns and attending to its repairs and maintenance for the past 22 years.
His wife Heather is also on the committee and ensures the hall is kept clean and well stocked with supplies.
“We’d love to see some enthusiastic young people with fresh ideas take over who might perhaps get some quiz nights or something going,” she said.
Fencourt Hall committee treasurer Alan Grant.
Fencourt Hall is 89 years old and has stood next to Goodwood School at 529 Fencourt Rd since it officially opened on July 4, 1934. It is used every week for community activities such as dance and karate classes and hired regularly for 21st birthday parties and other celebrations.
Don is certain there are big-hearted Fencourt residents out there who would be willing to help run the popular facility – he just doesn’t know how to find them.
“We’ve done huge advertising and newsletter drops to every letterbox and what have you,” he said.
“We must be doing a good job or something but yeah, lots of people we’ve asked and they’re too busy or what have you, or people want to be paid now for doing work. You can’t get the volunteers like you used to.”
Alan Grant, who has been the hall’s treasurer for nine years, believes it’s a widespread trend as service groups across the country struggle to attract new members.
“It’s just sad that there’s a lot pressing on people’s timetables these days – mortgages and kids’ sport and jobs and trying to have family time and doing things – and unfortunately the time left in the evenings is less,” he said.
Now, time is running out for the committee to find new members.
Alan is stepping down as treasurer because he is moving out of the neighbourhood and so are the hall’s secretary and bookings officer, husband and wife team John and Sally Illingsworth, who have served the committee for 23 years.
“This is probably the first time people may be aware that we’re at a transition point,” Alan said.
“Up until now it’s just been oh, we don’t need to turn up, those committee members are doing a fine job, the place is working well.
“But if they hear there’s going to be no more people there as of the first of August and the key’s going to be sitting on the council’s front desk, that might be enough to get half a dozen to a dozen down to the hall to say we can’t let that happen, we value the hall, we want to keep it going and yes we’re prepared to help.”
Sally said the committee had always worked to keep hall hire affordable.
“We’re worried that if we have to hand the keys back to council the fees might become prohibitive, simply because of the extra layer of administration involved,” she said.
Susan O’Regan
Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan said the hall would be returned to Waipā District Council if new volunteers could not be found to run it.
“But we know from other community halls in Waipā that local people get the best out of their hall when they are managed, close to home, by local people,” she said.
“We’d like to see that continue at Fencourt.
“Volunteers have done a terrific job over a number of years but we’d love others to step up. There are a lot of new families in the area and of course the school is a big user of the hall. So, we’re hopeful of finding a way forward that continues to make the hall available all the time.”
A Waipā District Council spokesperson said all Waipā’s rural halls were run by local committees and none had needed to be taken over by council over the past 10 years.
“A lot of organisations struggle to attract volunteers,” the spokesperson said.
“Many sports clubs, or community groups would probably agree with that. But it has not been difficult in Waipā to keep rural halls open because of a lack of volunteers. Local people have always stepped up.”
