Members’ Corner

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah!

One of our Leighton Buzzard members, Avis Fowler, had this on her bucket list and decided her 70th year was a good time to do it. She writes:

This was the at the world’s fastest zipline, Velocity 2 in North Wales. We had a practice run at first in case people wanted to back out, reaching speeds of around 45 mph. Having completed this they then took us up the mountain for the main run where we reached speeds of 100 mph. It was excellent. It was something I wanted to do in my 70th year so I can tick that off now! I can thoroughly recommend it. Demonstrating nicely that NWR women are... bonkers!

Heather de Lacey

Leighton Buzzard NWR

Celebrating 50 years!

Where did all those years go? This year I celebrated 50 years as an NWR member.

My very first get together was a picnic by the Thames with my three-week-old son, Christopher. He was 50 in July!

A neighbour had recommended NHR, as it was then, and it appealed because, with a two-year-old daughter as well, I really needed some mental stimulation. The Ashford NHR programme for the lively minded woman looked good and the picnic was their summer outing. I pushed the pram from our house in Laleham with my neighbour and her children and joined!

It was good to get away from domesticity and to meet others and make friends, as my husband, with his job move from Cheshire, was working hard in the city.

After three years we moved to Knowle and I joined the Dorridge NHR. My attendance wasn’t so regular here, since by then I was working part time as well as doing an OU degree, and the children’s many activities seemed to take over! Memorably though, we organised a day conference at the sixth form college and Mary Stott was one of our speakers—she was very inspiring.

In the early 90s we moved again with my husband’s job, to Newcastle-underLyme. It was in this NHR that we formed a book group, rather ahead of ourselves as book groups weren’t really in vogue then in the way they are now.

The next move was to Hatton and I joined Warwick & Leamington NWR. I left four years ago when we downsized from our old house and came back to live in Knowle, where I’m now a member of the Solihull group. It was lovely to see some familiar faces from my previous group at the area Angela Walker quiz earlier this year.

NWR has been a lifeline over the years. Moving to a totally new area— five times!—can be a huge adjustment. It was good to know a friendly group was available for discussions, speakers, outings and events.

Each group has basically been similar, each with the same ethos, but with slightly different ways of organising itself, including various sub groups. The age has increased over the years, too, from young mums initially, to the (mostly) retired these days! NWR has been part of my life, with so many memories and I’m really pleased I became a member 50 years ago!

Linda Burke Solihull NWR

These boots...

Following the success of the NWR walk last October, Mold NWR decided to set up a regular monthly walking group. Our inaugural outing took us through the grounds of Hawarden Castle followed by lunch at the Glynne Arms. A cold but beautifully sunny day!

Potting on

A dozen of us from four very local groups—Woodley, Earley, Wokingham Forest and Yateley—had an enjoyable morning pottery painting. The venue, Mad Hatters, is situated in a garden centre so we all had lunch in the café afterwards. A very enjoyable morning and good to meet up with members from the other groups.

Crowning glory

Luton and South Bedfordshire Villages

NWR entered the Christmas Tree Festival at St Nicholas Church, BartonLe-Clay, and thought crowns would be an appropriate theme for 2022. Over two convivial evenings group members met to create and decorate crowns from templates and toilet roll tubes. Lots of jewels, sequins, shiny Quality Street wrappers and glitter were applied. More is more, we decided. The tree was put up, decorated, lights added and topped with a large crown. We won Best Community Group and promoted NWR too!

November nicht at Janice hoose

Invited round to Janice hoose and fit a nicht we had Mony folk were gathered there and maist were tartan clad The bartender was affa guid

And wine there was a’plenty

The stovies were a great delight—a truly Scottish food

Pickles, oatcakes, cheeses too—they really were quite good

Food a’plenty, lots to eat and that was just the start

Shortbreed, mallows, tablet—all sweet treats close to my heart Scottish ‘toons’ played awa, the pianist did his job

We didnae even think to tip him half a bob

The merriment continued with poems, songs and mair

The chatter and the laughter made my sides quite sair Janice wis the perfect host, the event was sic a treat

On cold dark nichts it’s great to have an NWR meet

A poem for Crieff NWR’s St Andrews Day celebration, by member Eilleen Tory

In Memoriam

In future, owing to space constraints, obituaries in the magazine will be limited to a member’s name, dates, and a brief tribute.

Carolyn Hempenstall

Carolyn was a member of Horrabridge NWR and was both a Local and Area Organiser for more than 30 years. She had wonderful organisational skills and used these to arrange theatre visits, lunches, meetings and conference days, at which we discussed many topics – she always had a beautifully gentle way of getting things off the ground and steering things along, always with a sense of humour.

She had many friends, and built networks amongst a number of different groups of people through her wide range of interests and skills—she helped at pre-school, meals on wheels, and she enjoyed walking and Scottish Dancing, as well as travelling.

Carolyn had a deep and certain Christian faith, giving her great compassion and comfort, and fortitude during her years with Parkinson’s Disease. Her legacy lives on, in interests she stimulated and especially in friendships she helped to forge and her example of kindness and caring for others.

A huge gap has been left in our lives but, knowing Carolyn, I don’t think she would want us to be sad—she would wish us to remember all the happy times we shared together.

Lizzie MacKinlay 1943–2023

Kilbarchan NWR were very sorry to lose Lizzie, a much loved and respected member, in early January after a short illness. Since joining our group seven years ago Lizzie had contributed considerably, especially with her artistic design skills. Always extremely modest about her many achievements, Lizzie had been a costume designer with STV and had worked in continuity on film shoots for shows such as Taggart. She had studied seamanship and held an inshore boatmasters’ licence. Having her own catering business, Lizzie was always keen to host. Pictured here with her yellow teapot, this was one of the first occasions we were able to meet— outside—as a group during lockdown.

Gill Owen-John

It is with sadness that Bramhall NWR announce the death of Gill Owen-John after a long illness. A valuable member of our group, she was quiet, gentle, warm and fun. She will be missed by us all.

Christine Percival 1946–2022

Croydon NWR are sad to announce the death of Christine Percival who died very suddenly in November. She will be sadly missed for her sense of fun and her fantastic crafting abilities, which she was glad to share in the Christmas workshops she ran for us. She will be greatly missed by all of us and by her large and loving family.