So far we have detailed the history of the building itself but let's now focus on the Association and the men and women who supported its formation and continuation.
 
The Hythe & Dibden Community Association.
Earliest known logo (circa 1977)
 
It all begins, as all good stories do with people seated around a round table.
These were not knights and the table was probably not round but for The Hythe & District Branch of The Round Table, an organisation that sprung up out of the Rotary and designed for younger (18 to 45 y.o) Rotarians, those were distractions.
As the minutes for that original meeting in 1972 are outside of our possession (they're not lost but are deposited with The Waterside Heritage Centre),
We can only comment on the outcome:
It was decided that a "Community Association" was needed for the inhabitants of Hythe And Dibden and so a "steering Committee" was set up to accomplish this.  This is why a representative from the Round Table was present at some of the later meetings and in fact the first chairman, J.S Palmer was from the Round Table.
 
There had been earlier attempts at setting up Community Associations. The first one was in 1943 when Mr W. Wilson (future life president of the H&DCA)  in his position as "social organiser" at the British Powerboat Company used the company's social club rooms, canteen and sports grounds for this purpose. He became that Association's first Secretary. When that "Association" was wound down in 1962, the money collected from it remained with Mr Wilson where it would be kept safe for a decade until the H&D  Community Association was formed and he generously donated the money to the natural successor of his "pipe dream".
 
Details about the final year of the Steering Committee minutes can be found under "1974" in the archives. The meeting held prior to that may be lost or among the Round tables files stored at the Waterside Heritage Centre.
 
 
In 1974, a fresh attempt at setting up a Community Association had begun and on the 7th of May 1974 the inaugural meeting of this Association was held. The minutes for this meeting and those for the rest of the year are in the archive for "1974".
This Community Association continues to this day.
 
The first Chairman of this H&DCA was, as stated, Mr J.S Palmer. The Steering committee converted to be the "Provisional Executive Committee" at inauguration with a proper "Executive Committee" to be elected at the first A.G.M. Due to personal reasons Mr Palmer resigned later in 1974 and Mr Stan Wade was elected. Six months later the first A.G.M was held with Stan as the "first" Chairman. Stan would remain Chairman for the next thirteen years and become one of the pillars that the Community Association, and later Community Centre, were held up by.
 
Next came the problem of what to do with this new Association.
The first solution to this was to have a social event and invite groups who could become "affiliated" (or associated) and hope to convert them into becoming members of the Association.
 
This didn't take that much time.
 
Piecing together from the eariliest remaining sources you can find that groups that were "affiliated" or "members" of the H&DCA include:
A Yoga class run by "Mrs Pope", a whist group,  a dog training class, the Fuchsia Society, a Natural History class, a "wayward" art group (possibly a mispelling) and a writers' circle.
These groups met at various places but included "West Shore House" and the "Waterside Activities Group"(W.A.G) Centre which was run by the Waterside Council of Community Services which the H&DC.A was an "affiliated" member of.
This is why a representative, Usually Mr M.L. Bickley, from the W.C.C.S, was present at a number of the meetings.
 
In the archives below you will find the minutes of the meetings on the H&D.C.A beginning in 1974.
 
 
In memoriam
The British Powerboat Company closed in 1946 with its "Community Association" presumably closing at the same time.
The W.C.C.S changed it's name to the T&W.C.C.S in October 1991 after 20 years of existence and moved deeper into the Forest.
The Hythe Branch of The Round Table folded in the late 1990's.
The National Federation of Community Associations (renamed "Community Matters" in 1980's) ceased in Feb 2020 after 75 years.
 

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