History of Lea Hall Miners Welfare Centre

In 1935 the mine owner of Brereton Colliery, Mr. Cadman, handed over the 8.75 acres of grounds in Sandy Lane, Rugeley to the coal miners of Brereton Colliery. When Brereton Colliery closed in 1960 the grounds were passed to the miners of Lea Hall Colliery.

Brereton Colliery was a small coalmine on the fringe of Rugeley.  It was one of a hundred coalmines in the Cannock Chase Area owned privately prior to nationalisation.  The first Club House on the site opened between 1926 and 1927 at the time when the football pitch was played on by Rugeley Boys and Brereton Boys first teams. This original building is now referred to as the ‘Old Pavilion’ or ‘Tennis Pavilion’, as it later became the club house for Lea Hall Tennis Club. A ‘New’ Pavilion, used for club activities, was built in 1951. 

In 1965 the Manager of Lea Hall Colliery (Mr. J.W Evans O.B.E.), with the help of the National Union of Mineworkers, began to look for somewhere to locate the much needed sports and recreation facilities for the 2,500 colliery workers. Ravenhill was suggested amongst other places, but over the next 12 months, it was decided that it would be located at the Sandy Lane site, and it was then that ‘Lea Hall Colliery Miners Welfare Club’ was conceived.

The Welfare was extended in 1974.  £50,000 was spent on moving the stage in the Concert Room to the far wall from the entrance and the capacity increased from 200 to 450. In 1975 the Trustees entered into an agreement with Rugeley Urban District Council regarding the grounds. In return for members of the public being allowed to use the grounds, the Council agreed to maintain them. At this time the grounds comprised, 4 tennis courts, Crown Green Bowling area, cricket pitch, football pitch and children’s playground. A Grounds Management Committee was established consisting of 6 representatives from Lea Hall Miners Welfare Centre and 3 from the Council. This agreement was cancelled by the Council in September 2004. A gardening contractor was appointed in May 2005 to continue with the maintenance of the grounds. The Trustees decided that the public could continue to use the grounds.

In the early 1990’s, despite the closure of Lea Hall Colliery acts such as Jimmy James and the Vagabonds were still appearing at the Centre. However, on the 9th January 1995 the last Saturday evening show was performed. The Management Committee had reluctantly agreed that with debts having risen to £100,000, this was the best course of action to save the Centre from closure. With other cost reductions, and careful Management over the next few years from all concerned, the Centre remained open.

From 1997 onwards, there was an unexpected change of fortune. The demand for use of the Centre was unbelievable and although there was no obvious single reason it was reflected on at the time that there were a number of contributing factors:-

• Advertising leaflets issued to all registered members, funded by Bass Brewery
• Follow up leaflets issued by the Centre locally
• Contacts made by the Secretary through SRB meetings
• Contacts made by the Secretary through involvement with the Management Committee of the CAB
• The closure of Council run community facilities
• Closure of several local public houses that were not financially viable
• Injection of funding into local groups by Government Agencies
• The One Stop Scheme set up by CISWO – their full time Midland Representative encouraged other organisations to use the facilities.
• WEA secured funding to set up a scheme for adult learners, to be run from it’s office which they based at the Centre

In the year 2000 ambitious schemes to renovate the premises were drawn up. Although a bid for £400,000 from the Big Lottery (now the National Lottery) was turned down, in 2001 the Trustees managed to secure monies from the Staffordshire Environment Fund, Coalfields Regeneration Trust Fund and the Governments Regeneration Fund. This money was used to revamp the Pavilion. The Pavilion was gutted and rebuilt. The changing rooms were moved from the main building to nearer the grounds. The tennis courts were revamped and floodlights erected.

With the football changing rooms now being incorporated into the Pavilion building further grants were obtained from the Governments Regeneration Scheme so that a meeting room, and extra toilets could be added to the main building.

Between 2001 and 2009 over £1,100,000 was invested in renovation and upgrades to the site…

• 2001 – Pavilion, changing rooms, tennis courts and floodlighting £215,245
• 2002 – Old changing rooms converted to meeting and computer room £62,000
• 2002 – Games room refurbished, new ceiling tiles, floor tiles, and windows £25,000
• 2003 – Pigeon block and bottle store built £29,860
• 2003 – New toilet block for restaurant £35,000
• 2003 – Kitchen extended £5,000
• 2004 – Timber cladding around waste storage/collection area £4,500
• 2004 – SKY TV installed
• 2005 – Car park revamp and improved drainage £250,000 (Cost bourne by the developers of the Medical Centre)
• 2005 – Toilet block closure by CCDC – building locked/secured by the Trustees 14 February
• 2005 – New windows, Concert Room, Games Room, Lounge, Restaurant
• 2006 – Rear of main bar renovated £10,000
• 2006 – Conservatory built on end of bar and bar refurbished,new ceiling, carpets etc £98,000 (Grand opening on 18th November)
• 2007 – 2 smoking areas constructed in preparation for smoking ban £8,500
• 2007 – Barrier in Concert Room to regulate queuing
• 2007 – Kitchen fitted with new gas cookers and extractor hoods
• 2008 – Foyer and front of Centre refurbished, mural installed on frontage £70,000
• 2008 – Restaurant refurbished (including carped and re-sanded dance floor £5,000
• 2009 – Passenger lift installed, computer room built and Concert Room refurbished £250,000

Other improvements include the installation of a CCTV system, refurbishment of the Lounge, updates to the fire alarm system and redecoration of artists changing rooms.

In 2002, the Trustees were approached regarding the sale of a parcel of land to accommodate a new medical centre (Sandy Lane Health Centre). This was eventually agreed and approved by the Charities Commission and CISWO. The funds from this land sale were used by the Trustees to pay for the “non-charitable” items listed above.

On 4th August 2003 the Trust Deeds of the Centre were updated. The Charity Commissioners for England and Wales under the power given in the Charities Act 1993 ordered that the Scheme would govern the charity, formerly known as Lea Hall Colliery Welfare Centre and from then be known as Lea Hall Miners Welfare Centre registered charity 522715. Six Trustees were elected and the first Charity Committee meeting was held in December 2003. One of the elected Trustees was the first woman to hold a post at the Centre.