A SOCIAL club has been clawed back from the brink of closure after 'overwhelming' support from the community.

West Witney Sports and Social Club has successfully appointed a new committee in a bid to secure its future, but now needs to raise £10,000 to pay off debts and move forward.

It is hoped that a party next week called Save Our Club will go some way towards the fundraising total, and Witney residents are being rallied to attend.

A post on the club's Facebook page on Friday said: "It will be a massive boost towards the survival of the club.

"This is the biggest opportunity over the coming weeks to raise the funds we need to keep this great club going."

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It said the number of people who turned out for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) this month was 'absolutely overwhelming'.

Following a front-page article in this paper, almost 100 people turned up for the meeting on November 8.

It was there that a new committee of 14 members were elected, as well as replacements for the crucial roles of treasurer, chairman and secretary.

New treasurer Graeme Woodward said: "In the last week the new committee has worked tirelessly to protect our social club and have a whole host of exciting events planned.

"Perhaps most promisingly, there have already been a number of positive dialogues between us and Witney Town Council."

The town council is the club's landlord, and previous committee members had raised doubt that the authority was in support of its future.

Mr Woodward was positive about the latest progress, however, and said the relationship with the council will be 'pivotal to the club's survival'.

The club has almost 700 members and is used by organisations including Witney Swifts Cricket Club, Tower Hills Football Club, Witney Lawn Tennis Club and Park Run.

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The first fundraiser will be a club night at the venue on Saturday, November 30, which will take place from 6pm until 11pm.

Attendance is free but there will be various activities to raise cash over the course of the evening, and both members and non-members are welcome.

Mr Woodward, who plays for Witney Swifts, added: "This is a massive opportunity to raise vital funds to save the club we all love.

"We know the support is out there, you just have to look at the people present at the EGM.

"We would just ask everyone to turn up again, bring a friend and enjoy some good drinks, good music and have an enjoyable night."

The 28-year-old business owner, who grew up in Witney, said he has been using the club with his family since he was about five or six years old.

Oxford Mail:

Graeme Woodward (right, pictured with business partner Michael Jelley) runs Grape Minds in Summertown

John Galpin has been appointed club secretary while the position of chairman was taken on by Simon Barker, match secretary at the tennis club.

Writing on the club's Facebook page, Mr Galpin said: "The brand new committee consists of 14 individuals who share the same ambition in transitioning the club and moving things forward.

"Here's to the future of West Witney Sports and Social Club."

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The club was threatened with closure in 2012, when the council considered selling the site, and in 2014, following a safety audit.

Former chairwoman Tina Wilson said the club spent up to £20,000 on the upkeep of the building in Burford Road, but said people were put off by the 'crumbling' state of the decades-old facility.

One Witney Gazette reader, commenting on that article online last month, said: "This is Witney's largest recreational and sports ground yet it is stuck in the 1970s.

"It's time we all came together to develop what is a significant asset to the town and growing community."

Mr Woodward said building improvements are a longer-term ambition and he expects discussion about this to progress in the New Year, once they have 'drawn a line' under the debts.

The committee is also working to bring the club more up-to-date digitally and has created profiles on Twitter and Instagram.