The DOSC is the old junior school of the village of Dunholme, Lincolnshire. In 1864 the land
was conveyed under the School Sites Act 1841 for the - “Education of children and adults of children only
of the labouring, manufacturing and other poorer classes in the Parish of Dunholme”. The Trustees being
the Bishop of Lincoln, The Archdeacon of Stow and the Vicar of Dunholme. The Church of England built the
school and administered it until the 1944 Education Act when the Lincolnshire County Council assumed responsibility.
In the late 70’s with the growth of the village it became evident that the school was become too small. A
new school was built in the village in 1981 and, after a lot of discussions, a group of villagers arranged with the Trustees to
take over the management of the old junior school in 1984, for the setting up of a community centre. It was
decided by the Trustees to have a hire agreement with the management committee who would be running
the old school as a community centre. This would be at a peppercorn rent as the management committee would be responsible
for all maintenance and insurance.
Through the years the committee has struggled to keep on top of the maintenance. A building of that
age, not built to modern standards, and previously having little money spent on it by the County Council, requires a
lot of money. Through fund raising activities and matched grants from the RDC, County and District Councils
there has been a gradual upgrading of the fabric and facilities within the building.
Although Dunholme already has a good village hall the old school manages to attract many users. This
is mainly due to the village hall being much larger and attracting a different type of clientele. There is no
rivalry between the two organisations, indeed both the Chairman and Secretary of the DOSC plus a committee member are also
on the village hall committee as Treasurer, Secretary and Trustee.
The activities of the Old School includes regular Whist and Bingo, a weekly Luncheon Club for the elderly
organised through Age Concern, adult education classes, meetings of the Royal British Legion, Patients and Doctors
Association, Rural Challenge meetings, amateur dramatic rehearsals, music rehearsals, fetes, fairs, jumble sales and
private parties. In the old canteen there is now a well established camera club.
The Lincolnshire County Council has reorganised adult education in the Lincoln area to include a centralised
Continuing Education Centre with more use to be made of rural venues. It was therefore felt that greater use could be
made of the facilities at the old school and earn revenue from the unused classrooms that was previously a snooker club.
The committee has set up a training establishment with an aim to provide low cost education and training for the local
rural community. It caters for the areas of West Lindsey, Lincoln City and parts of North Kesteven and not just
for the area around Dunholme. This organisation is run by volunteers and was 50% funded by the Lincolnshire Training
and Enterprise Council. Other funds coming from the Lincolnshire CountryWork Scheme with help from the Community
Council of Lincolnshire.
In 1998 the Trustees of the Bishop of Lincoln the Archdeacon of Stow and the Vicar of Dunholme decided that
they should apply the "Revertor of School Sites Act".
This stated that any property donated under the "School Sites Act" should be reverted back to the person
who donated the land, or his successors, if the site was no longer required for the purpose for which it was donated.
However
as the management were the current tenants they were given time to buy the property at the valuation.
Funding was sought
from the National lottery Funding Council and, after three attempts and a reduction in planned renovation, the purchase price
was awarded.
Today renovation work still goes on but only in piecemeal as revenue becomes available.
