Annual Report - August 2006 - March 2007

A day to remember

November 8^th 2006 was a great day in the history of the Irish in Luton. We officially opened our own new purpose built advice and community centre. Among the many distinguished guests were The Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs; Mr Dermot Ahern TD, the Irish Ambassador to the UK; Mr Daithi O’Ceallaigh, Mr Michael Connolly, the Mayor of Luton Councillor Julian Wates, Lord McKenzie, and MP for Luton South Margaret Moran.

When the Luton Irish Forum first met in Luton Town Hall in 1997, there were pubs and clubs galore in the town, but no specific welfare centre for our community.  A community centre of our own was our dream.  Quite frankly for a long time it was just a dream.  I remember obtaining a list of private properties from the Town Hall, which were for rent. We viewed a number of them but rents of £20,000 P/A were being requested; way beyond our wildest dreams.  We were penniless.

Our first breakthrough was the result of meetings with Cllr Bill McKenzie (now Lord McKenzie) then leader of Luton Borough Council, and Cllr Hazel Simmons. We were offered three rundown rooms at the Recreation Centre (Drill Hall) in the Old Bedford Road. We set to work painting, decorating, furnishing, and setting up office in what became our first real home.  The premises was rent free; this was real progress. 

We joined the Federation of Irish Societies (FIS) and their advice and expertise has been invaluable to us.

In April 2001 we achieved charitable status.  Also in 2001, we employed our first full time development worker; Frances McCauley.  People were beginning to take notice of the Luton Irish Forum, as volunteers built up the social fabric of the organisation.  The ‘craic’ was being heard - the Recreation Centre was coming alive.  Tea and cakes were being served, music was being heard, and respectful silence accorded to the bingo caller.  April 2001, we also achieved charitable status. 

There were many more milestones in our development.  In 2004, Rehab UK produced a report commissioned by the Forum, on the needs of the local Irish community.  They found there were huge gaps in the services provided by local agencies.  Our response was the appointment of a full time, paid advice worker; Mr Michael Maguire financed by the Irish Government.  But storm clouds were gathering.  Luton Borough Council gave us notice to quit our new home as the location was scheduled for redevelopment.  The Council did not abandon us however, and following a long search, they offered us the site on which our new centre was built.  But of course you need money to build a centre.  The Kathleen & Michael Connolly Foundation came to our rescue and agreed to substantial funding for our project.  The Irish Government was approached through Díon and they in turn offered substantial funding. So the idea of a brick building was born.

Our dream of a purpose built centre of our own was realised and the official opening of the centre was indeed a proud day for all those who worked so hard over the years, to make the dream conceived in 1997 come through.

A special thanks to Michael Connolly (The Kathleen & Michael Connolly Foundation), Díon (Irish Government funding support) and Luton Borough Council who made it possible.  Thanks also, to Mick Callanan (Connolly Homes) who was such an inspiration throughout the project and Rita Corrigan (FIS) who did such great work to research and guide the project on behalf of the Luton Irish Forum.  

Frank Horan

Secretary

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