A COMMUNITY group is facing closure unless new volunteers come forward to get involved with organising events for the village.

The four remaining members of the St Helen Auckland Residents Association have agreed to stop the group if new people fail to show an interest by the end of January.

The decision could mean the end of the village’s annual carnival and Christmas tree celebrations as there are no longer enough people to organise these types of events.

Neil Simpson, of St Helen Auckland Residents Association, said the decision has not been taken lightly but with more help they have been left with no other options.

“We are down to four members and none of us are getting any younger,” he said. “Our oldest member is 81-year-old.

“Everyone does their bit in the group when we are arranging the carnival and the Christmas tree celebrations but there is a lot to do.

“We also do little bits around the village and we are somewhere for people to come if they have any problems. This will all go if we have to close.

“If we had plenty of people then each person doesn’t have to do as much. We have been going for about 14 or 15 years with only a few people but everyone has their own commitments as well.

“We need about ten people to come forward to volunteer and that would make all the difference. This would mean we can keep going.”

He added: “We have struggled on for so long but now we are going to have to close. We don’t have a meeting in December so the one in January could be our last but if people come forward we will hold off and see what we can do and see if we can ride the storm.

“We don’t want to close but we are really struggling. We have put appeals out before and not had any response but we are hoping this time will be different.”

Anyone who is interested in getting involved should call Mr Simpson on 07725-979714 or attend the group’s next and possibly final meeting in the Selby Close Community Rooms on Monday, January 26, at 7pm.