Nick Linney impressed us all with his amazing talk about his World Class Marketing Business!

William Linney came down from Loch Linney in Scotland to Mansfield, where he opened a book shop business in 1851.  He was certainly an entrepreneur, who enjoyed writing and soon started producing newspapers and then set up a family printing business for 3 generations.  The family borrowed money to expand the business in 1951 and produced the Chronicle Advertiser (known as The Chad!).  Nick Linney joined the business in the 1970s and his two sons are now the 6th generation of the family running the business.  In 1995 after a trip to the USA, Linneys sold the newspaper business to Johnson Press and set up the printing business instead, encouraging the use of computers and creative skills.  Linneys was built on Adamsway in in 1997 and now has been hugely extended, as they have a large number of employers dealing with computers and technology.  They are renowned for creating marketing products and fantastic designs for screens for Macdonald’s & Starbuck’s advertising agencies. (Report by Margaret Thomas)

We were very pleased to welcome District Chairman Jacquie to our October meeting. Dee presented Jacquie with a bouquet made by Rosemary.

At the same meeting we collected in Shoeboxes to be sent as Christmas presents to Romania through the Charity ‘Children in Distress’. Rosemary is going to deliver them to our contact, Trish and if anyone has decided to fill one she’d like to receive them as soon as possible so she can deliver them early November.

Planning ahead we looked at the menu for our December meeting. This the first time we have had a formal meal instead of meeting at a Member’s home.

Ann Davies will be sadly missed at our meetings and as she had been a member for more than fifty years, I enquired afterwards when I was invited to meet Shan for supper, if the family had any old IW photos to add to our collection. The Club are delighted to be given Ann’s IW badges and a brooch for safe keeping. These mementoes will add to our archive treasures and not only do they show typical membership badges worn with pride, but are also fond reminders of Ann who enriched the life of the Club with her enthusiasm and joie de vie.

We all had a great time at our Club Meeting on Wednesday 8th Septmember, held at Portland College for the first time since the lockdown 18 months ago, due to Coronavirus! 

Trish Witcomb and her friend from Keyworth & Ruddington Inner Wheel Club gave a heartrending talk about the charity Children in Distress, which was set up in Romania in 1990s to give treatment and care to children who had been infected with HIV, AIDS or other life-threatening infections.  Children in Distress provides hospice care for children with multiple disabilities and and educational opportunities for disabled children.  Christmas Shoe boxes, given to very poor children or those in hospices are really appreciated.  Rosemary Wilson gave the vote of thanks and a donation for Children in Distress.

A Memorial Service was held at St. Michael’s Church in Farnsfield on August 14th for a longstanding Inner Wheel member, Ann Davies, who sadly passed away on June 17th at the age of 95.  Afterwards, Ann’s family, Shan, Hugh, Philip & Robin invited us for afternoon tea in her garden on a lovely, sunny afternoon.  Charity donations were given to RNLI.

Mansfield Rotary Club organised a BBQ lunch at the home of Matthew & Sarah Harding on Sunday 25th July on a warm, sunny day

.  Rotarians appreciated the support of Inner Wheel members, who worked diligently in the morning to prepare some of the food.  Veronica & Jenny also sold the raffle tickets. 

It was a most enjoyable afternoon with lots of fun and friendship.  £1,180 was raised for international and local charities.

Unfortunately, after great expectations of a July face to face meeting, we were back to Zoom again in Septmeber. Well done President Lynn, chairing the first meeting of your Inner Wheel year.

We were excited to hear about the planned expansion to build a discovery centre and planetarium on land adjoining the original site restoring and utilising an underground reservoir. They are working towards obtaining funding from various sources and we wish them all the best in their endeavour – as well as being a fantastic facility, it will have great economic impact, much needed in our area.

The Sherwood Observatory, which is situated on Coxmoor Road, is to reopen now that restrictions are being lifted and the first ‘Solar Day’ is on 25th July.

After all our Zoom Meetings this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we really appreciated being all together face to face. How lucky we were that the sun shone so brightly for us all afternoon! We took our own chairs and either ordered an afternoon tea through Dain Pinder or brought our own to eat. Past President Ilean Lumsdon and President Lynn Bowman generously treated us all to a glass of fizz or elderflower cordial, followed by a cup of tea, served to us by Dain and her helpers

Rosemary also had lots of scarves, gift bags and books for sale and Elaine brought her beautifully crafted greetings cards that she sells to boost the Charity Account funds.

Lots of members, including Lorna Pye, Ann Pradhan, Margaret Wilson, Veronica Malkowski and Jennifer Brackenbury had knitted and crocheted a large number of lovely, colourful blankets and baby bears to be sent abroad for international charities.

Veronica and Jenny show us these amazing baby bears & blankets, which they have knitted and crocheted for International Charities.

Past President Ilean Lumsdon hands over her chain of office to our new President Lynn Bowman

Rosemary presented Past District Chairman Anne Lyons with a lovely bouquet. The District Rally organised by Anne for her year sadly never came to be and this was one of the arrangements planned by Rosemary for the occasion.

For all their hard work, Elaine & Ilean are delighted to receive from Past District Chairman, Yvonne Neville, a cushion each, beautifully embroidered by a former Inner Wheel member, Julia Mudford.

What a most enjoyable and memorable afternoon we had, full of fun, laughter and friendship

Following on with our theme of Australia related stories that Barbara Dixon inspired, Margaret Thomas surprised us with the intriguing provenance of a drawing that has hung in her hallway for the last 40 years.

Margaret knew that her Aunt Nancy (circled) had married an artist and moved to Australia in the 1930s but knew little of the life they led there. In recent years on a tour of Australia and New Zealand, she was browsing through a guide book when to her surprise she found that a painting which has been widely reproduced, appropriated and copied and is a big seller on the postcard stands at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, was actually the work of her Uncle Charles!

Margaret later discovered that Charles Meere’s work had been chosen to celebrate two very important occasions in Australian history.

The first was a poster marking the celebration of two hundred years of European settlement in 1938. The second was the inclusion of Australian Beach Pattern in the 2000 Olympics Opening Ceremony programme.

The drawing signed by Charles Meere and given to Margaret by her cousin, the artist’s daughter, has since had a little more attention than it has received in the last forty years!

At the same meeting, Rosemary Wilson talked about Book Aid International: one of our chosen International charities. It was started by the wife of the British Governor of the Bahamas in 1954 and was at first called the Ranfurly Library after it’s founder Lady Ranfurly.

They do a tremendous amount of good work throughout the world helping in the education of countless people so that they can reshape their lives. As a club, we have raised funds for this cause for many years, mainly through the sale of books at Club meetings. Rosemary wanted to remind us what a great organisation it is and hopefully, we will be able to resume our book stall soon.

Bellamy Road Tenants & Residents Association works towards raising community spirit to make life a better place for those living in the local area. Mansfield Rotary began to support the initiative some time ago and later Mansfield Inner Wheel donated funds collected at our Christmas meeting towards planned projects.

When Captain Tom Moore’s daughter asked people to ‘Do 100 things for charity to keep his foundation going’ Veronica and Jennifer decided to bake 100 cakes and donate them to the Bellamy Road Food Share on behalf of Inner Wheel.

Last Christmas the money raised from the raffle was to go towards a summer outing for children in the area. It was doubtful it would take place this year but happily, Veronica tells us that two coaches have been booked (and quickly filled) for a day at the coast.