Clitheroe the Future Newsletter Archives are available in Adobe PDF format:-
A resounding success, a big thank you goes to the organisers and local volunteers who helped make the weekend a memorable event.
The local community is set to benefit from the September opening of the new Language Centre at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School. Following a successful bid for specialist Language College status, the school began fundraising to build the new centre at the Chatburn Road site. Clitheroe the Future has contributed £25,000 of around £500,000 in total, with other monies coming from other public sources, the school’s own reserves and private contributions. The new building, which contains four classrooms and two storerooms, is fully equipped with the latest in digital teaching materials, including interactive whiteboards. Taster courses in Mandarin, Russian and Urdu have already begun. The facilities will become available for the general public to use through night school classes and family fun classes.
Clitheroe’s Roefield Leisure Centre is hoping to undergo a major expansion and upgrade of facilities with help from Clitheroe the Future. A grant of £125,000 from Clitheroe the Future is likely to be approved, with other funding being sought from RVBC, Sport England and a private loan.
Roefield Leisure, a registered charity, currently has 1,000 members and is running very close to capacity in the evenings. 326 children under the age of 16 use the facilities, many of them attending the ‘Time Out’ sessions and the centre caters for 7 local schools during the day. The management faces the challenge of providing accessible, affordable sports facilities for all whilst maintaining financial security.
The new plans include replacing part of the centre with a new two-storey facility, incorporating a gym, children’s gym, spinning room (for classes using the latest exercise cycles), creche, new changing facilities with thermal suite and expanded multi-function space. The young people’s gym will be used during the day for the over 50s, and the Time Out sessions will be increased. The multifunction space will
be used for aerobics, (for which there is currently a waiting list), children’s parties, dance and martial arts.
As a key service centre, Clitheroe has a need for sufficient,affordable and accessible sports facilities and the benefits to the health of the community will be considerable.
A grant from Clitheroe the Future has helped to secure the continuing services of a Wildlife Trust Conservation Officer for the Ribble
Valley. The Trust promotes the protection and enhancement of the natural environment. It manages two nature reserves in Clitheroe, at Cross Hill Quarry and Salt Hill quarry, and works to encourage people to visit the nature reserves for educational and leisure activities.
If you are interested in conservation and the environment, you can take part in volunteer work parties and learn practical new skills, or join one of the regular guided walks and develop your knowledge of the local flora and fauna.
The Trust works closely with local schools to encourage children to visit the countryside, and in partnership with the Platform Gallery, organises art in the community projects to increase visitors’ interest in local parks and nature reserves.
