40 years of the Galtres Centre

It is just after 6:00 am. on a clear frosty Friday, December morning, and already the lights are on at the Galtres Centre, with the cleaning team of Christine, Shelly and Sue hoovering and polishing away for the coming days’ visitors.
The early birds are hard at exercise in the fitness suite, and Mark Reinhard the duty instructor, is already setting out the tennis nets for the morning sessions on the all-weather pitch.

By 8:30 the first team of volunteers is in the kitchen setting up for the coffee morning in the lounge. Another team is providing refreshments for eighty NHS staff here on a training day.

At 9:00 the office staff arrive, closely followed by a small team of long serving volunteers who ensure the running and all the controls of health and safety, alarm checks, fire checks etc are tested and in place.

This place is run to the same standard as a top London hotel, every detail is covered.

From the compulsory purchase of the Galtres House in 1981 with the aim of just providing a village hall/community centre the Galtres Centre has had quite an extraordinary journey.

It has been carefully nurtured, skilfully financed, and lovingly cared for by a group of visionaries in Easingwold, who are about to celebrate 40 years of the development of the Galtres Centre; some of them have been involved with the project from 1981, many others have put in big shifts over the years.

The volunteers all 120 of them are the beating heart of the community centre, some provide regular help a few hours each week, others are happy to be asked to help with an event.

The skills are wide, catering, entertainment, gardening, finance, sport, cinema, live performance, building maintenance and bar work, whatever skill you have the Galtres Centre will use it.

But what the Galtres Centre takes, it gives back in spades; so many new friendships have been formed, so much fun and laughter wherever there are volunteers working in the centre.

If you are new to Easingwold or suddenly find yourself on your own or with free time head to the Galtres Centre, have a chat, your efforts will be well rewarded.

R.Thomas