Traditionally the PPMI has provided recreational facilities for the Pendeen Parish community. The land the Pendeen Parish Members Institute is built on was given to the people of Pendeen in 1930. The land is held in trust to be used as a Parish Institute. The present building in the centre of the village was completed in 1931 and was built with locally raised funds and voluntary labour. In1996 the Institute Committee began to look towards the future for the building and how it could best serve the interests of the community. The building was deemed to have passed the end of its useful life. Maintenance costs were becoming uneconomic, and people were discouraged from making good use of the facility.
In 2000 the Committee made changes in order to modernise the Institute. The name was changed from Pendeen Men's Institute to the Pendeen Parish Members Institute, the voting age for Committee members became 18, the Trust Deed was altered and the PPMI became all-inclusive to women, charitable status was applied for and received.
In 2001 the Committee undertook a survey of the Pendeen Parish community. Following this, the Committee agreed to expand on the original ideals of the founders and, not only renew and upgrade the traditional amenities, but also bring to the local community other indoor facilities identified as needed by the community.
For the last 2 years, PPMI Committee members, with the help of the Objective One and Pendeen Community Project facilitators, and have given a significant amount of their time to actively developing this project into its present form.
Traditionally, there are four trustees who administer the Institute according to the rules, regulations and provisions contained in the conveyance. At present, due to the death of a Trustee, there are three Trustees and a fourth is being recommended for appointment. The Committee consists of 9 officers (including 3 honorary positions) and 10 general committee members who all come from the village, and have a variety of skills and experience. The Committee runs the Institute as set out in the conveyance, overseeing the day to day running of the Institute, collecting revenue, running fund raising events, paying expenses and organising sports practise sessions, league teams and competitions. There is an Annual General Meeting in February and Committee meetings are held monthly.
The PPMI project will redevelop their partially derelict site to provide a new building in the centre of the village that will be the host venue for a range of service providers, organisations and agencies, and will be a centre for indoor sports, recreation and social activities.
Access will be increased to training, education, employment, business and health advice from the use of the facility as an outreach centre by providers and agencies, such as Job Centre Plus, Network Training and the Complimentary Health Initiative. Those such as the Police, YMCA Propel team, or Citizen's Advice Bureau will help to deliver social benefits.
The building will also be a meeting place for local residents, and provide a venue for individuals, voluntary and community groups to deliver their activities. The Institute will work with Penwith Community Development Trust who will provide the management arrangements for a Centre Manager and Centre Administrator. The staff will promote the project, organise the day to day running of the facility and coordinate delivery of services. A steering group consisting of relevant parties will meet monthly to review and make decisions about project progress.
The PPMI's 'bottom-up' approach to delivering services and activities identified by the surveys and consultations will compliment other projects in the area, such as the St Just Heritage and Geevor World Heritage Site projects.
By providing a facility that can be used as an outreach centre for the delivery of services and host a variety of activities, the project will assist those in the community to train, acquire skills, receive education and advice, and social benefits. This will help the unemployed and excluded residents to improve their employment prospects and access work generated by the larger projects in the area. Other socially excluded residents (including those with poor health) will also be able to make appropriate contacts and get support from the service providers, agencies and organisations using the building.
The continuation and proposed expansion of the PPMI's traditional sports of snooker, pool and table tennis, which includes supporting youth teams, alongside the anticipated use of the building by youth development workers and the YMCA Propel team will not only provide specific youth activities, but will also compliment service provision and provide social benefits to other members of the community.
The PPMI Committee and other groups in the community will also benefit by individuals having access to training, courses and social activities that can help build local capacity.
Through the Project Steering
Group (which will include Development Trust and District Council representation,
plus Centre Staff), the project will maximise targeted and joined-up delivery
of all above services wherever possible.