Minutes:
“I am aware and very pleased that there were many activities over summer organised by, or supported by the Council. Can the portfolio holder comment on some of the highlights and feedback from the Welwyn Hatfield community.”
Answer
Councillor T.Mitchinson (Executive Member, Leisure, Culture and Communications) answered :-
“Thank you for your question Councillor Kasumu.
I am pleased to report there were a full range of family friendly films showing at Campus West over the summer, including Toy Story 4 and The Lion King, which were both well attended. The mixed weather also ensured there were plenty of visitors to Roller City and Soft Play City during the summer school holidays either escaping the rain or enjoying the air conditioning.
Members will also be interested to know Campus West has topped an independent cinema league table from the Royal Opera House, covering more than 250 screens in the UK, for generating the most income from live and encore broadcasts of its operatic performances. We have successfully built a large and loyal audience for this in recent years.
The Jim MacDonald Centre in Hatfield also hosted great opportunities for young people and families to get involved in through their holiday club this summer, which were very well attended
Over at Mill Green Museum and Mill and at the Welwyn Roman Baths, there were numerous activities to engage young people during the holidays ranging from seaside crafts to clay sculpturing, puppet making and fabric painting on t-shirts. The annual and popular Teddy Bear Fun Day in August attracted 300 people to Mill Green. Craft demonstrators also ran sessions on wood turning, weaving and corn dollies and bee keeping for older visitors.
Our leisure contractor, Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL), ran a full activity programme across the sport and leisure sites it manages in the Borough including aqua splash inflatable sessions in the Stanborough Park south lake and at the Hatfield Swim Centre, badminton tournaments at the Hatfield Leisure Centre and a full sailing programme at Stanborough.
The Council’s Community Partnership team were also extremely busy over the summer months, and were the driving force behind the annual BIG Summer programme. Now in its 3rd year it was the most popular and successful to date with more than 300 different activities and thousands of families and individuals taking part. The team also delivered the family friendly Xplora navigational and educational challenge across King George V, Moneyhole Lane and Stanborough Park.
In addition the Council funded the following:
• A Live and Creative Event in Hatfield which was an arts and culture day aimed at engaging the entire family.
• Welwyn Garden City Fun Day.
• A Girls Only Football Tournament.
• Two Water sports activities run in partnership with the YMCA.
• Two Crazy Golf Events in Hatfield.
• Three Basketball coaching sessions.
• Three Skate and Scooter Sessions in different locations. *
• Friday Night Football sessions.
• Climbing wall sessions in local parks,
(* 1 in Hatfield, 1 in WGC and 1 in KGV.)