Everton Community Association says is cannot plan summer events without new recruits
THE future of a popular arts and music festival is in jeopardy unless new recruits can be found to join Everton Community Association (ECA).
The group, which has organised an array of events in the village for over 30 years, is warning that new trustees must be recruited to safeguard its future.
Now an extraordinary general meeting has been called on Saturday 28th January at 3pm in an effort to drum up more support, with a warning that planned summer events may not go ahead without greater community engagement.
ECA spokesperson Sheila Nash revealed the charitable organisation is currently without a chair or vice-chair as well as several key committee members.
She said: “Back in September we held our AGM and we didn’t have enough people attending to really appoint new committee members.
"Since then a number of terrific longstanding and key members of the association have stepped down.
"It is difficult to see how we can plan summer events without a larger committee in place.”
Last summer ECA organised a jubilee festival on Everton Recreation Ground, a jubilee tea party, a music festival and a very popular literary festival.
Sheila said: “The ECA has been in place since the early 1990s and even before that there was always a group of people in the village who got together to organise community events.
"It would be devastating if we had to fold, so we are really looking for some new younger village residents to step up and join us.”
She added: “If there is one thing the last three years has taught us it is the importance of community and neighbours supporting each other.
"It would be lovely to think we can arrange an event for the coronation this summer but we will need more help to do that.”
As well as recruiting new committee members, ECA wants to hear from volunteers to help at events on an ad-hoc basis.
“These type of community associations and events are part of the very fabric of villages and the fear is that if we lose them we will never get them back,” said Sheila
“We have an amazing and diverse community and it would be great to see other age groups and interests represented. It would also be great to hear about the events the residents our village would like to have.”
The Everton Community Association EGM meeting will take place at Everton and Lymore Social Club on Saturday 28th January at 3pm.
To find out more email ecacommittee@outlook.com or visit www.everton-lymington.co.uk
