At the start of the January meeting, we were delighted to welcome a new member to our Club. President Lynn Bowman introduced Sue Stoakes to us all and we hope she will enjoy being part of Inner Wheel and have fun in the company of friends old and new.
After the business meeting, Dain Pinder had a great idea to get everyone reminiscing about styles we loved to wear back in the day.
We had hats, dresses, petticoats and psychedelic trousers to peruse – but only a few were brave enough to try them on !
We hope our guests that came along were entertained by the shenanigans!
After a delicious Christmas dinner, with plenty of choice for everyone, we were given a picture quiz of Country flags and different languages to unravel, organised by Diana. Six members chose charades for us to guess, followed by four members miming the game “What’s my Line?” and answering questions.
Joan Smith played Christmas Carols on the keyboard for us to sing.
We all sang together and finished with miming “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Veronica had made two beautiful Christmas Cakes, which Diana Whiteley and Gillian Crich were so lucky to win in the raffle.
The proceeds of the raffle will be kindly donated to the Bellamy Road Tenants’ Association charity. What a wonderful evening we all had with so much fun, friendship and laughter!
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.
It was a great meeting. Steve Wallace gave us a superb talk on the Sherwood Observatory. Surprisingly, what started as The Mansfield & Sutton Astronomy Society, recently celebrated 50 years since its foundation. Just a group of volunteers, they showed true entrepreneurship finding a site and creating not only a building but also the largest telescope in the UK (now the second largest!). It’s incredible to think that to do this they used everything from old bricks to car engines to road signs – long before recycling was fashionable.
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
The Inner Wheel Club of Mansfield 