Air-to-air source heating system will be installed in beloved building at the heart of village community, helping to ensure its long-term future.
The Pinxton Miners Welfare Institute opened just over a century ago, on May 23, 1925, at the heart of the village mining community in the Bolsover district of Derbyshire. It has provided facilities for a range of local charitable groups, including football teams, a drama group, model aircraft group, mother and baby group, line dancing and pigeon clubs. The building incorporates Pinxton Social Club, better known as the ‘Welly’.
Pinxton Welfare Social Club Ltd aka The Welly, photo courtesy of Bolsover District Council
However, in recent years the building has become harder to maintain. A lack of suitable heating has led to a concerning reduction in use.
That’s about to change thanks to a £38,000 investment in a high-efficiency air-to-air air source heating system which will enable just the rooms in use to be heated, rather than the whole building. The result is warm, inviting community space all the year round, without wasting energy.
The money for the work is being provided by three different providers: £20,000 is from the National Lottery, £16,765.23 from the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation (CISWO), and £100 from the Blakemore Foundation.
Sarah Andrews, Director of Pinxton Miners Welfare, says: ‘The aim of this project is to bring this wonderful building back into full usage. It used to play a central role in the community and I hope this work will help it to play that role again. The application process for getting these grants has been long but worth it, the entire committee has been a great help as well as Lee-Ann Clark at CISWO. I couldn’t have done all this without them.’
Councillor Mary Dooley, Ward Member for Pinxton, adds: ‘This building deserves to be at the heart of Pinxton and I am so happy to see that Sarah has managed to get enough money to replace the heating system. It might not sound like a big thing but making this building safe and comfortable means more people will use it.
‘I am so grateful to Sarah and the committee for working hard to get this funding, they have remained committed to securing the future of the Welfare and ensuring it remains open and usable by the local community.’
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