MADAM,
I was so pleased to see such a letter of praise for the Bridges Community Centre project in your paper.
However, the one person who should be mentioned is Mrs Diana Roberts. I have never met this lady but I have heard her speak about the project and I was most impressed then by her sense of vision and community and subsequently have watched the Centre's progress with interest over the past years.
How many of us, for many years, have muttered to ourselves as we passed Drybridge House "They should be doing something about that!"
Mrs Roberts visited, had the imagination to see the potential, had the organising skills, the courage and personal ability to lobby, cajole, persuade and give so generously of her time to push this project along for us. What this group of amateur volunteers has done is outstanding and Monmouth will always be in their debt.
From what I know of this lady I think that she would say that it was a team effort and that no one person should be singled out, but we all know that without a good leader to encourage through disappointments and frustrations and to keep inspiring the team onto the next stage of its campaign, many committees will quickly disintegrate and the projects be lost.
I hope that even now, our MP Mr Huw Edwards, is arranging for a suitable mention in the next Honours' List. It is typical of her that once her term of office came to an end last October she quietly stood down and was last sighted helping other volunteers sort out the building ready for the opening by cutting down the brambles and litter picking in the grounds!
I and my family and all my friends, just was to say a public thank you Mrs Roberts, for all that you have done for us and this community and to wish good luck for the future of the Community Centre. You have done a magnificent job!
C E Williams
Osbaston,
Monmouth