History of the FCA

Association History

1983 the land provisionally reserved in the District Plan for a new school was sold for housing.

1984 Essex County Council approached the Parish Council with two suggested sites for a new School. Neither was felt to be suitable, and Councillors seized the opportunity to sell sufficient land for a School on the area of the Playing Field already earmarked for a Community Centre. This provided considerable funding towards a Centre as part of a joint building.

1984 Feering Community Centre set up and registered as a Charity to keep in use the “tin hut” (Church Room) and then administer the Centre.

1987 Feering Community Centre was opened by Tony Newton MP on 24th October.

 The completed building is unique. The large Main Hall and hard surfaced play area are not only jointly used by School and village, but jointly owned.

Two further smaller halls, storage, kitchen, toilet facilities, showers and changing rooms, provide a meeting place for all the village organisations from youngest to the oldest, a venue for outside organisations to bring activities to Feering, family parties, weddings etc.

Car parking for some 75+ cars was provided by the Parish Council in addition to the County Council 4 school places giving adequate parking for parents and all users of the Centre.

Additional Funding

£20,000 each from County and District Councils –Major Capital Grants

£3000 Wickford Development towards car park

£250 Barclays Bank Ltd

£27,500 shortfall funded by Public Works Loan Board to FPC

Funds for original carpet bowls and badminton equipment – two committee members

Labour and materials for benches and tiling the Changing Rooms were provided by Feering United FC.