Fourteen Years at the Heart of Staveley Village Life: An interview with Clive Johnson, Staveley Village Association Trustee.
Clive has been part of Staveley Village Association (SVA) since January 2012, but his connection to the village and to volunteering goes back much further.
“I followed in my father’s footsteps,” he says. “I got involved with the first carnival and did a lot of work fetching and carrying. I even went over to Sedbergh to collect a horse and carriage for the Queen of the Carnival. The carnival gave me the inspiration to join. My dad had me doing jobs for the village hall as a volunteer. I was a young lad of 20 years old and I’ve been with it ever since.”
Over the years, Clive’s role steadily grew. “I was initially a helper and repairer, being a joiner by trade, I would volunteer to repair or renew things. It evolved into knowing the Village Hall inside and out and being the go-to person, even sorting locks out, which has now evolved to digital.”
His commitment has never been small. “I’ve run car boots, being up at 5.30 in the morning for 12 hours a day,” he recalls. But he’s also seen how responsibilities have changed. “The responsibilities of the Village Hall have grown due to government involvement to abide by certain laws and guidelines, which wasn’t the case when I initially joined. That’s made things more challenging.”
Becoming Chairman wasn’t part of a grand plan. “It grew naturally. I was vice chairman not by choice, because nobody else wanted it. I could envisage it happening, knowing the committee at the time did not want to take that responsibility on. I stepped up when she was poorly and took over as chairman when Mary Smith, passed away.”
Behind the scenes, the role can be demanding. “As chairman and handyman, in the past there have been daily tasks. Because of the age of the buildings we look after, things do go wrong, burst pipelines, roof vents failing, heating system challenges. We’ve had to take time to learn new technology. Thankfully, that new technology has taken the burden off some of the problems we used to have. Streamlining procedures has lightened the volume of frequent duties.”
One of his proudest achievements has been helping shape spaces for younger generations. “Being involved with both playground upgrades and looking after the field in general. I enjoyed being on the tractor mowing and strimming the lawn around the football field and kids’ playground, all voluntarily. My own children, now adults, enjoyed the playground, and my grandson has helped me with the maintenance tasks.”
Still, volunteering today comes with added complexity. “Things used to be simpler. I’m not able to make decisions like we used to. Everything needs insurance, policy and compliance. Anything we do has to be decided by the trustees, and we must have a quorum, a minimum of five trustees to rule on a decision. We used to rely on volunteers to get odd jobs and maintenance done.”
Now, even small projects involve formal procedures. “We must go through things like a minimum of three tenders, which takes time, is costly, and prolongs things. We also apply for grants, so we have to research, match fund, and report back on how the money is spent.”
Despite the challenges, Clive’s motivation remains clear. “I’m passionate about the buildings, that they remain in the village for the community. I want them in good condition. I take a lot of pleasure in seeing events take place and seeing them be a success, people enjoying themselves. I hope that continues. We used to run New Year’s Eve dances, they went on till 4 or 5 in the morning. Me and Julie would sit on the door just watching people enjoy themselves.”
He is also keen to remind residents that trustees carry a serious responsibility. “We have to make decisions in the best interests of not only our buildings but also our community, whether they are popular or not. We want people to come along and give feedback at our community meetings; I would like to hear positive feedback and suggestions of improvements.”
Looking back, several moments stand out. “Raising money and collaborating with other societies to renew or make improvements, things like the lighting above the staging, Warm Spaces donated the fridge in the Village Hall kitchen, the foyer redecorated in memory of the past Chair Mary Smith and incredibly all the businesses rallying to donate towards the new playground in 2022.”
For Clive, voluntary roles are vital to village life. “It’s very important to continue voluntary roles to keep the buildings going. It’s a self-sacrifice but equally rewarding. We are extremely privileged to have such large buildings within our community. Every job, no matter how big or small, is costly, and without events and fundraising we would really struggle to survive.”
As for the future, he has clear hopes. “I’d love to see improvements to the facilities, the football changing rooms, a facelift to the front of the Village Hall and Institute, redecoration internally to the hall and stage, and more collaborations with community groups and societies to improve facilities.”
And his message to anyone thinking of getting involved?
“I would love more people to come forward. You won’t know what you have to offer until you try. It’s a great way to meet people, build friendships, and open doors to new connections for you and your family. Whether you’re retired or not, everyone has skills that would be valuable to the Village Association.”