THE ANNUAL General Meeting of the Droitwich Spa Civic Society is set to take place at 7.30pm on February 20 at Sacred Heart Church Hall, Worcester Road.
The event will also feature a talk from Janine Rusby, the heritage engagement co-ordinator for the Worcestershire Building Preservation Trust.
She will give her presentation on the Willow Court Farmhouse project, outlining the project and the building’s importance to Droitwich Spa.
Attendees will be able to learn about how this historic building is being converted into new affordable apartments, thanks to the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The project has included a programme of community engagement and volunteer opportunities and Janine will explain how these have been used to engage schools and the wider community.
Janine will be joined by project volunteers who are working on the project and have been collecting memories from former residents and have contributed through an oral history project.
The society
The Droitwich Spa Civic Society was founded in 1974 as a non-political organisation to stimulate public interest in the area, promote environmental standards, secure preservation and protection and improvements of features of historic public interest in the town.
Its strength comes from members with various interests, skills, knowledge and expertise.
The society has expertise in planning and is well placed to make considered responses to planning applications and potential developments.
It monitors outline and planning applications especially where there are potential traffic problems and where such applications would adversely affect the locality, or be detrimental to the town and its environs.
Members were involved with the draft Neighbourhood Plan and have contributed and made comments during its development.
The society has had a momentous year in which local challenges have been addressed – the outstanding one being the disastrous fire at the Raven.
Mike Meredith the chair, called a meeting from which the now independent “Raven Heartbeat Group” was established.
This group has since formed a Community Interest Company to secure the historic core of the former Raven hotel and to seek grants and sponsorship to restore it and create a sustainable building for the future.
The AGM is free to attend and is open all, although voting is restricted to society members.
Agenda items include: the amended constitution, an annual report including financial review from the Chair, and the election of officers and committee members.
Mike Meredith, the chair will be standing down after 3 years in post, and besides a new chair a treasurer is sought.
There will be an admission charge of £5 for the Willow Court talk (happening after the AGM) for visitors (it will be free to members).
Anyone interested in becoming a member of the society or a committee member is urged to visit: droitwichspacivicsociety.co.uk to get in touch and find out more.
Subscriptions for the year 2026 are £10 per household, and new members will be able to join on arrival if they wish to vote at the AGM.
