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Burnend (first recorded 1236) "End of the Stream" is where the Wye flows into the Thames. Nestling in the Chilterns alongside the river, the village has been the home of papermakers, lacemakers and brickmakers. Today Bourne End is a thriving village close to London and even closer to the open countryside of the Chiltern Hills in central southern England.
This site is provided by Bourne End Community Association as a service to people who work and live in Bourne End. The Community Association is also responsible for provision and management of the Bourne End Community Centre.
| 50 years for Community Association |
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| Written by Barrie Penfold | |
  2012 sees the golden anniversary of Bourne End's Community Association. From its formation the Association raised funds to build the Community Centre in Wakeman Road which it still manages. The Association also ran the village Carnivals, first on Jackson's sports ground and later at Wooburn Park. 2012 will see a series of golden celebrations.
In 1962, a group of enthusiastic people attended a meeting in St Paul's Church Hall at Wooburn Town. Their aim was to decide whether Wooburn Green or Bourne End would take on the challenge of building a Community Centre on parish land owned by Bucks County Council. By a voting majority Bourne End was selected. This decision came after lots of informal meetings, demands for action and the need for a place where local people could get together socially, where activity groups and clubs could gather regularly as well as a theatre-style hall to enjoy drama, concerts and lots more. After the decision in favour of Bourne End a committee was formed to take the challenge forward. At that time there was open land behind the north side of The Parade where the County Council had approved plans for a library and a new primary school. Provided funding could be raised the Community Centre was allocated a site alongside the library. In front there was an open area of land intended as a public car park and owned by Wycombe Rural Council. Locally austerity had followed the end of the Second World War but this was soon followed by growth and development. Factories expanded needing more people. Bourne End was growing from small clusters of cottages around a road crossing into a vibrant village community. During the 1950s the council estate in Bourne End was finally completed. Development on the Chalklands Estate continued, having stopped during the war, and above there orchards were dug up to make way for new housing. Bungalows were built on allotments up New Road and houses off Wharf Lane.  The Community Centre as it was in the late 1960s (above)
and below as it is now  It took lots of fund raising but five years after the first meeting the Community Centre opened its doors in 1967. At that time it was just the main hall, stage and two small meeting rooms. Five years later the small hall and bar area were added along with larger backstage facilities. Since then continual improvements have provided local people with a Community Centre fit for the 21st century. Solar panels were 2011's major improvement. Now the 50th anniversary is being celebrated with a range of events for those who are already part of the Community Association's life. At the same time anyone who hasn't previously pushed their way in through the doors of the Centre will be welcomed with delight and shown around. The Community Association can be proud of what was achieved fifty years ago and continued through the following five decades. And the good work goes on. But there's still time to celebrate! So please join in at one of the celebratory events. For details of 50th anniversary events click here and look for events coloured dark red If you have a story from fifty years ago or photographs from some of those early fund raising events please use the website email contact or ring the Centre office on 01628 522604. |
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| Last Updated ( Sunday, 25 March 2012 ) |
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