July 24, 2008

‘HEART OF COMMUNITY CENTRE’ CHRISTINE PRESENTED WITH AWARD

 John Healey presents Christine Bailey with her certificate

A WOMAN described as the heart of a community centre has been honoured with an award.

Christine Bailey has worked with young people in Kilnhurst for 32 years. In 1997 she also began working at Kilnhurst Resource Centre as a general assistant.

Wentworth MP John Healey put her forward for the Contribution to the Community Award from the Experience Corps, a scheme started by the government aimed at encouraging older people to volunteer. The award recognises outstanding achievement and tireless efforts in the local community.

John presented a shocked Christine with her certificate at Kilnhurst Resource Centre last Friday, in front of her friends and family.

He said: “She does a lot of work in making sure this centre runs smoothly and other things in this village work well. If this community centre is the heart of the village Christine is the heart of this community centre.”

John is currently helping Christine and other workers who are working hard to source funding to secure the future of centre, which costs £15,000 a year to run.

Christine, who has already halved the hours she works to make the centre more sustainable, said:  “We were prepared to work for nothing. We are just trying to do a lot more publicity to promote the centre.”

The centre is used by the youth service three nights a week, and also has bingo, line dancing, Brownies and computer classes.

John also presented 80-year-old Nellie McHale with an Experience Corps award earlier this month.