Community Matters

In April 1975, local residents called for a meeting at the Albert Hotel (now known as The Albert Pub) to discuss forming a community group for the residents of Lark Lane and St. Michaels Community. By coincidence, another meeting was called for the exact same evening in Christ Church, Linnet Lane, to test support for creating a Community Association for the Lark Lane area.

Both meetings were well attended, proving the area needed a community hub of activities and that there was a willingness from people to act upon.

The meeting held in the Albert led to the formation of St. Michaels and Lark Lane Community Group. The team formed communal activities such as junior football teams, Youth Clubs and Summer Play Schemes, inclusive of all. Whereas the meeting in Linnet Lane led to the creation of the Lark Lane Community Association, who pressed for local conversation and was involved in local planning issues. 

This only exasperated the need for further expansion and the critical need for a permanent Community base, despite the goodwill of local churches, who at the time provided spaces for the existing activities.

​As a result, in 1976 both groups met to discuss the mutual need for a Community Centre and the advantages of collaborating. Conveniently, the Old Police Station in Lark Lane became available to rent at this time, with the County Council agreeing the buildings use as a Community Centre.

Despite many doubting the venture, both Community groups formed together, now known as what we know today as St. Michaels and Lark Lane Community Association (SMLLCA). 

In November 1976, SMLLCA moved into the Old Police Station, discovering the building needed huge renovation to ensure it was safe. Although the façade of the building held much charm, it provided an expensive and complex venture.

The Association also discovered to afford running costs, almost half the building would need to be sublet. While group appreciated the building would be very much valued within the area and heavily used for Community initiatives, costs to improve and maintain the building would be a heavy drain on the Association.

The success continued in 1978 to everyone’s surprise and delight with SMLCCA being awarded an Urban Aid Grant across the span of 5 years. Three quarters of the funding came from the Government, and the rest the Local Education Authority to cover rapidly escalating running costs.

Over the course of the next 13 months, an exasperating amount of fundraising was successfully undertaken, leading to building works to make the building safe for use.

​Meanwhile, SMLLCA was swiftly expanding and developing into a constant hive of activity. Spring Festival, Parent and Toddler Group, Pensioners Afternoons, Disco Friday’s, Kung Fu Club, Drama Group, and an increasing number of other groups were utilising the centre for film shows, meetings, jumble sales and more - only to be continued to this very day.