This group was originally formed in May 2000 and was made up of six members, Freda Shaw, Chair, Ian Goldthorpe, Treasurer, and Val Shale, Secretary, together with three other volunteers. The group had its own bank account and was set up primarily to provide events for the people who live in and around Oxspring. The Committee agreed the principle aims and objectives, and its mission statement was to support and develop facilities, activities and projects to benefit the community, and to raise funds to support them. It was decided to provide much needed activities for all ages, i.e. seniors‘ tea with evening entertainment in May, harvest supper dance around September, children’s Halloween party, carol singing evening with refreshments and a New Year’s Eve supper dance and of course the Indoor Bowling every Monday afternoon April to October.
The Friends‘ accounts are externally audited every year and any outgoing expenditure has to be authorised by two members of the Committee.
Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons the Group foundered and in 2019 they took the decision to dissolve the Group and to allocate any remaining funds to other causes in the village.
During the pandemic another small group of volunteers was set up called the Oxspring Buddies and this group undertook voluntary work during the shut down to make sure that any vulnerable people had any help and support they needed to help them get through the crisis. The Chair of Oxspring Parish Council suggested that rather than dissolve Oxspring Friends, that it be kept running and that Oxspring Buddies and Oxspring Friends joined together with a new Committee and a new offer to host different activities and events for Oxspring residents.
If anyone is interested in joining the group please contact Ann Walker – [email protected] and you will be more than welcome to join the small, but very merry band.
Various activities have been offered since the inauguration of the new group and we will also be looking for suggestions as to what you, the people of Oxspring would like to see us provide with any money that is currently in its bank account. Again, if you have any suggestions, please email Ann Walker with your suggestions and we will consider each and every proposal to see if it is viable.
We will keep you informed regarding the group’s progress on Oxspring Friends Facebook and this new website.