Nottinghamshire - MIDLAND PALLADIUM

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 20th Year

Issue

Issue No.

2

Date Released

Oct 1966

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1The North East - NEW AREAS FOR OLD - 2
2. 2Leicestershire - COLEORTON
3. 3Nottinghamshire - MIDLAND PALLADIUM

Story

Story No. within this Issue

3 / 3

Summary

BFI synopsis: Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen at Ollerton Miners’ Welfare Centre.
NCB Commentary - Its the end of the working week for the men of Ollerton - soon, many of them will be enjoying a Saturday night at their own club.
Yes, this club belongs to the miners of Ollerton and Bevercotes Collieries, and membershire costs them just 2/- a year - all in.
The cost of building the club was met by the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organistaion.
Top line entertainment is offered every night of the week, all paid for out of bar profits. In it’s first year the club spent nearly £30,000 on artists and musicians.
The new Welfare centre was opened in November 1964, and cost £120,000. It provides for it’s 5000 members facilities for many different recreations and interests. And there’s a youth club as well.
The centre is run by a committee, with representatives from pit management and unions, and from the members themselves. Each committeeman looks after a particular department - and its all voluntary spare time work.
Dick Purdy, local Councillor and chargeman fitter at Ollerton, is the entertainment secretary - the centre’s impressario.
Roy Longden, a mechanical engineers at Bevercotes is in charge of stage lighting and effects.
With car takings running at £130,000 a year, the centre is completely self supporting, and there’s a bit left over for the future.
The children aren’t forgotten either. Voluntary "mothers" look after them while ‘mum and dad’ enjoy a night out.
Ollerton is a typical Midlands mining community - but few big cities could equal its club facilities. Ollerton folk deserve the best, and they are getting it.

Keywords

Music and dance; Mining

Locations

England; Nottinghamshire; Ollerton

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
The National Archives COAL 32   /13 Scripts for Mining Review, 1960-1963

Credits:

Sponsor

National Coal Board

Production Co.

National Coal Board Film Unit