Film Club opens in Grindleton

The film club is just the latest regular feature at the new community centre, which opened in November thanks to the fund-raising efforts of Grindleton Recreation Ground Charity, which raised £430,000 in just two years.

The film club is organised by a team of four – Tony Cann, Mike Bazley, Norman Kelly and Daniel Williams.

It is held on the third Friday of each month and began in May. Every one of the 60 seats was filled for the opening film – “The Quartet” – and members could opt to enjoy a home-cooked meal prepared by Joan Horsfield before sitting down to watch the film.

Mike said: “The facilities at the pavilion are very good. We already had a large main hall, a high definition projector, screen, amplifier and DVD player.

“We arranged to get the licences in place so we can play any DVD on sale in the UK and we have a public music licence. We arrange the seats in a cabaret style, so people can sit together around tables and there is a bar run by Terry Waters. We open the centre at 7 pm and people have an hour to socialise, have a drink and a meal if they have pre-ordered it before the film starts.

“It is a members’ club and they pay an annual fee of £20 and for that get to watch up to 12 films a year.

“People left the first film night saying they felt like they had been at the cinema and I received some really nice emails.”

The club has proved so popular is has already had to cap membership at 80. If a film is not playing to a full house members booked in can take along a friend for a small fee. Anne Huson, who was chief charity fund-raiser for the pavilion, arranged for blinds to be fitted in the main hall so that even in summer, the light can be blocked out and the “cinema feel” can be experienced.

Anne said: “Janet Fraser, an associate with Enterprising People in Ribble Valley, was really helpful with our Big Lottery bid and she helped us make it more professional and assisted us to understand what the grant providers were looking for.

“We also received help to set up the Film Club and EPRV associate Rob Carder was able to provide information on how we should set up and run the club and he also connected us with Daniel, who lived in the next village and was really interested in films and is now on the film club organising team.”

In June the club showed “Argo” and on July 19th “The Life of Pi” will be shown. In future members will choose which films they want to be shown. Mike added: “The pavilion has been great for bringing the community together.”

In the Ribble Valley there is a need for local services that make it possible for people who may be older or living with illness or disability to remain at home. Enterprising People help others to do just that. For more information contact 01200 323992.