It was the end of an era in Croxley last month as members of the Welcome Club gathered for their final meeting at the historic Red Cross Hall.
On Monday, September 9, 25 club members held a special send-off event for the building, which has been their base since 1966. Together, they enjoyed traditional sequence/line dancing, followed by a feast of sandwiches, tea and cake.
Having grown alongside the building, the club has developed into a thriving social group for elderly residents, with membership once peaking at over 250. This success is credited to former club leader Brita Blackwell, who ran the club for more than 35 years and also attended the final gathering.
The building will now be taken into the possession of Three Rivers District Council (TRDC) from the Red Cross in November, following the charity’s decision to dispense of the site. Plans are still being discussed over the building’s future.
The Welcome Club will still be going strong however, with it set to continue its Monday afternoon meetings at All Saints Church from now on.
Green Party councillor Narinder Sian, who attended the final gathering along with councillor Cheryl Stungo, reflected on the hall’s legacy, saying: “The Red Cross Hall has been a cornerstone of our community for nearly 60 years, thanks to the hard work of countless volunteers.
“While we say goodbye to this chapter, I am hopeful that the vacated site will be put to a new use that benefits all residents of Croxley Green and preserves the spirit of community that the Welcome Club has embodied.”
I hope TRDC accepts the Parish Council offer to buy the building so that it can return to its function as a community hub which is much needed in our ever growing community. Residents do not want the building knocked down and replaced with flats. Some residents and local societies even made donations to build the building in the first place. It is ours and we want it back! Residents should have the final say in its future, not officers of the council or councillors that don’t live here.
Buy with what money? And deprive local people of much needed housing? NIMBY’s are ruining Croxley