Coldplay and columns

The JCA annual general meeting on April 15 at St Barnabas School was a lively and interesting occasion. Chair Charlotte Christie reported: "The Community Centre continues to be used throughout the day and into the evening most days of the week. A new and popular activity this year was a ‘pop up café’. The Association subsidises a number of activities included the Saturday Cafe which makes a small loss, and a monthly soup kitchen for the homeless. "The fabric of the building is a cause of increasing concern. We appreciate the support of the City Council in making repairs. Local residents have also lent their skills and we are grateful to them too. Our thanks also to our cleaner Cyril Pead who has done so much good work over the years and has now had to stop because he is unwell. "The Community Association continues work alongside the Jericho Wharf Trust to pursue the development of the former Jericho Boatyard site which will incorporate a new Community Centre. In May we achieved success in securing the £100,000 from the Lucy’s development as a contribution towards the new Centre, in as well as £100,000 from the City Council - which will also be contributing land." Administrator, Sue Pead reported: "We have between 35 and 40 classes a week at the Community Centre. One of the most popular new additions is pole fitness. For children we have a Mothers and Toddlers group as well as ballet classes and drama classes and a Sunday School," Treasurer, Peter Stalker reported: "Overall, financially we had a reasonably good year. Total income was £49,915. Total expenditure was £51,536. So there was a 3% deficit. However the expenditure included consultancy and professional fees for planning work on the new centre, so in terms of normal operating costs there was a surplus of around £3,600. We maintain a fund for preparations for a new centre. For this purpose, our reserves now stand at £69,625." Secretary Jenny Mann reported that the number of nominations for both officers and committee members was just enough to fill the posts. The officers are: Chair, Charlotte Christie; Vice-Chair, Paul Hornby; Secretary, Jenny Mann; Treasurer, Peter Stalker. The other committee members are: Adrian Arbib, Father Jonathan Beswick, Scott Ellis, Hannah Kirby, Jon Radford, Phyllis Starkey, and George Taylor. The meeting also discussed a number of local issues, including the developments next to Port Meadow and the proposed Blavatnik building on Walton Street. During the interval, residents were treated to a wonderful performance by 20 members of the Jericho Singers - including Babe Yetu, a traditional African song, 'Say little prayer for me', and 'Fix you', a song by Coldplay. In the second half of the meeting, David Freud gave a fascinating talk on the history of what was St Paul's Church which he now runs as Freud's cafe. Many people were surprised to learn, for example, of the cemetery alongside the building which is six feet above the level of Walton Street. He also suggested that we look more closely at the columns on the front of the building. On their street faces they have been weathered by decades of acid rain, but at the other side they are just as they were originally - with intricate carvings. After the meeting many of the residents moved on to Freud's cafe for a guided tour, a complementary drink, and some Brazilian dancing.