Comment: Whitchurch in danger of losing centre

Meeting places are essential in any community.

Village halls, parish rooms, community centres are all as essential in their own way as pubs and post offices are to the survival of a healthy town, village or city district.

So it's sad news that Whitchurch is in danger of losing its community centre, a place that has helped forge local links and focus local activities for more than half a century.

The dilemma here is that the current chairman and secretary are both standing down and, with a crucial annual general meeting looming towards the end of the month, no one else is prepared to fill their shoes.

The consequence of this is that all that wonderful work achieved under the aegis of the community centre just off Bristol Road will be lost.

That's because the rules of the centre's administration mean the place would have to shut its doors immediately.

As retiring chairman, Tom Whitehead, 69, says, new younger blood is needed to run the place, adding that it would be "a crying shame" if closure was the only option.

He's right.

Whitchurch needs its community centre. Surely someone there is prepared to devote some of their time to keeping this facility going.

THE death of former Bristol Lord Mayor, city alderman and councillor Jack Fisk comes at a time when all levels of government, be they European, national, regional or local, are being scrutinised and criticised as never before.

Jack Fisk belonged to a different time. One where one's politics – Jack's was Labour _ were more often than not always played out with a lower case 'p'.

An era when being a local councillor meant just that – local.

Debates and decisions often crossed party lines rather than adhering rigidly to their doctrines.

The district of Henbury knows all about Jack Fisk because he served them well for over four decades.

He served the city with equal aplomb, too, becoming its Lord Mayor twice. An OBE and an honorary MA from the University of Bristol also came his way in recognition of his civic service.

Current city council Labour group leader Helen Holland sums up Jack Fisk's contribution so well when she pays tribute to his "passion" for all things Henbury and democracy.