YOUR report of my presentation to North Herts District Council s Royston area committee conveys mis-information. (Crow, October 4) I emphasised in the presentation that it was members of the sports and social club of Johnson Matthey who have ring-fenced
YOUR report of my presentation to North Herts District Council's Royston area committee conveys mis-information. (Crow, October 4)
I emphasised in the presentation that it was members of the sports and social club of Johnson Matthey who have ring-fenced £150,000 of their funds for the reported project; also that, contrary to popular belief, the club continues to exist and has at no time been closed by its members or by the parent company.
The record should show it was the initiative of Johnson Matthey Sports & Social Club members to donate £150,000 of their funds to a Royston community project.
The provision of an all-weather pitch was agreed at the annual meeting to be the immediate priority, this local need having failed to be provided as part of the Royston Lesiure Centre.
Johnson Matthey plc had NO part in this initiative, the sports and social club being a completely separate entity.
The ring-fenced donation was resolved and minuted at the annual meeting of the club and not in any way prompted by JMplc.
The social and sports club continues to exist at the Orchard Road site, not closed by JMplc as reported.
Members of the sports and social club will be justified in feeling aggrieved if JMplc rather than the club received misplaced recognition for this generous initiative.
JMplc may well feel aggrieved at any inference that the donation is in any way an attempt to curry local favour for its corporate developments.
In respect of the current status of this project, we are near to completion of preparations for planning applications at The Meridian School and Therfield Heath sites; also applications for Football Foundation and Sport England funding are well in hand.
JMplc continues to be supportive of this initiative with financial assistance in the preparation of applications for planning permission, for which the action group is grateful.
The group would welcome the support of any other Royston community enterprise in realisation of this project.
MIKE THROWER
Acting chairman
Royston Community Project (All-weather pitch) Action Group
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