For many years the original Passmore Edwards building and the adjacent secondary school has been used as Helston Community Centre. Whilst not now an Arts & Science School, it meets Passmore Edwards' original aims in that it is Helston Adult Education's prime daytime venue for classes in Helston with presently 15 adult classes taking place every week. In addition many local organisations make good use of more than 15 rooms that make up the Community Centre A children's preschool has been located there for 30 years, a ballet school with over 180 pupils has held classes there, six days a week, for the last 15 years. The arts are also represented by the use made by amateur dramatic groups from across West Cornwall and it is even used as rehearsal space for the internationally famous Flora Day celebrations.
Earlier
this year the Community Groups were told that the building
was to be sold and they were given notice to quit. The reason
given was that the original conveyance of the land to the
Corporation was for Technical Education purposes and, according
to the present Trustees, the Helston Town Council, require
that one third of the present building is used for "Science"
purposes. Since, they said, they could not find a way around
this obstacle they were not prepared to renew the lease to
the Community Association but proposed selling the building
and with the money raised, build a replacement community centre
at some time in the future. I am sure that Passmore Edwards
would now repeat his comment made over 100 years ago when
faced with continual delays and bureaucratic meddling over
the construction of the Launceston Free Library. He said "If
I had known then what I now know I may have spent more of
my money in London and less in Cornwall".
The
local community groups, faced with being turned out of their
beloved community centre contested the Council's decisions
and took legal action. Whilst the matter was still in Court
the Helston Town Council have offered to sell the building
to the Community Association. With the depressed state of
the housing market it is likely that the price will be within
the Associations means. Lets hope that this Passmore edwards
building can continue to serve the community for another 100
years. | 
