Douglas Mcminn Centre

Hall and Meeting Room for local groups available. Contact Pat Hill on 01494 775270.

"THIS BUILDING WAS DONATED BY D. McMINN MBE FOR THE SENIOR CITIZENS AND THE BLIND OF CHESHAM"

These words appear on a modest tablet fronting a large new building in Chesham's East Street. Pale blue lettering on a nearby wall indicates that this is the Douglas McMinn Centre.

Douglas McMinn first came to Chesham in 1916. His father was in the army and moved to get his wife and three young children away from London and the menace of the German Zeppelins. As a child, Douglas did not enjoy robust health with the result that his education was somewhat sketchy (though he frequently described it in rather more colourful terms).

When he left school at fourteen the country was deep in the throes of depression, jobs were scarce and the competition for them was fierce and unrelenting. To earn a honest penny, Douglas was willing to try his hand at anything. His sallies into the world of commerce were many and varied. He bought reject brooms, brushes, pots and pans from a local factory and sold them at country markets.

Firewood was collected and sold at two-pence the barrow load. The proceeds were used to buy an old cycle for fifteen shillings. This enabled him to ride to Dickinsons at Croxley Green to buy supplies of penny writing pads. These were humped back to Chesham and later sold in Petticoat Lane in London at 2d each. This meant a long, heavily laden ride, the working day starting at four in the morning. Douglas also ventured into the rag trade, selling Polish-made vests, handkerchiefs and stockings from market stalls.

After the last war, in which he served in the National Fire Service, Douglas McMinn opened his first hardware shop in Bellingdon Road, Chesham. Later he moved to the High Street and finally to Weir House Mill on Latimer Road. Around this time he and Mr. Clements invented a mop which proved to be a best seller and sold millions. This was followed by an extending clothes prop with like success.

The firm went from strength to strength. At first there was a very small number of employees, housed nearby, but this grew to over 200 accommodated in large modern offices. A computer was installed and the firm's turnover topped £4m. In 1974, at the age of sixty-three, Douglas McMinn decided to call it a day. He sold out to Tricentrol, treated his employees most generously and transferred his energies and undoubted talents to fresh fields.

Douglas had always felt his lack of education to be a considerable handicap (though he had endeavoured to minimise this by working extremely hard). As a result he had a strong urge to help other who may have been handicapped in any way. His home town saw practical proof of this, when ion 1974, he converted a shop in Broad Street into a meeting place for the handicapped and senior citizens. Here they could sit and chat over a cup of tea or coffee. have a meal and look at the newspaper or a magazine. Although these premises were not ideal, they were served until the purpose-built centre in East Street was completed and equipped. The centre was officially opened on June 4th, 1979, a very happy occasion attended by considerable numbers. The focal point of the building was the extremely spacious lounge with its large picture window looking out over the lush grass of the bowls club.

Around the perimeter of the brightly decorated room were comfortable bench seats and there was a plentiful supply of tables and chairs. A well equipped kitchen is tucked away unobtrusively in one corner and faced a well stocked bar from which drinks were dispensed at appropriate times. Additional features were a small, well polished dance floor, a large colour television set and a piano in frequent use for the benefit of an appreciative audience. The first floor of the centre comprises of two flats, one was occupied by Douglas McMinn, the other by Mr. and Mrs. Redvers England, the centre's manager and housekeeper, respectively.

The centre provided a number of services for the people of Chesham and the surrounding area. Probably one of the most rewarding was that of the day-care section for any elderly or handicapped, who, it was considered, would benefit by attendance. morning about seventeen such persons were picked up at their homes and were brought to East Street in the centre's seventeen-seater welfare coach. There they enjoyed the companionship of their friends and the therapeutic benefits gained from handicraft work. Drinks were provided morning and afternoon, and a three course meal at mid-day. Around tea time they were taken home in the same coach. The County Council made a substantial contribution towards the costs incurred and those who attended also made a small payment. There was little doubt that they benefited immeasurably from their occasional trips to outside venues such as a theatre or ice show and the patience, care and devotion of the voluntary workers in the section (which was headed by a full-time nurse).

The difficulties of the elderly and handicapped were borne in mind when designing the building, access being by gently sloped ramps instead of steps, hand rails provided where desirable with wide doors capable of admitting wheel chairs, and a purpose-built bathroom.

The centre was also a popular meeting place for the senior citizens and handicapped in the area. There they met others in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere and enjoyed a meal or refreshments at a reasonable price in most congenial surroundings. Ladies were able to avail themselves of the services of a hairdresser, again at a very reasonable charge.

During the evenings and on Saturdays, functions of all kinds were held at the centre. The funds raised enabled the centre to continue its work and the functions made a real contribution to the social life of the town.

The happy atmosphere and all-round efficiency of the centre were due to the ceaseless efforts of a large number of volunteer workers indefatigably led by Douglas McMinn, the man who made it all possible, including the valuable assistance of Mrs. Nina Sanders, a tower of strength since the centre first opened in Broad Street, also the unceasing efforts of Eric Lewis-Jones. the secretary and Redvers England, the general manager.

The Douglas McMinn Centre is registered as a charity and a limited company is responsible for the administration of the centre on behalf of the Trustees.