NEWS FOR 2006/2007/2008/2009

LINK TO NEWS FOR 2001/2002/2003/2004/2005

JUNE 2010

It was the turn of the North West Area to organise the National AGM which was held at Betley Court Farm with the AGM and dancing at the Village Hall. Allan and Molly's daughter made a cake for us which was cut by Albert Walker, Vice-Chairman of the Camping and Caravanning Club, Richard Perry, Vice-Chairman of the Folk Group and Fred Fearon, Chairman of the North West Area (see photo page). The sun shone all weekend so we were able to have coffee mornings sitting on the field and dancing each evening, although with high temperatures and over 100 bodies in the hall it didn't really make you feel like dancing. Fred led a nice meander which was just long enough on a hot day.

Lunch stop with cows lined up watching us on the other side of the fence

MAY 2010

We had our first camping meet at Gannies Farm, Waddington, a very nice site with lovely views. We danced a couple of evenings in West Bradford Village Hall and we had two very pleasant walks from the site. For the first time we tried three five day rolling meets, one at Moelfre with a view of the beach and sea, one at Dwyran with a view of Snowdonia, both on Anglesey following on to stay near Prestatyn with a view of the hills and sea. Although I was apprehensive about whether members would travel so far and perhaps have had enough after ten days, all the meets were extremely successful. Fortunately we only had some rain on a couple of days which does make a difference to camping events. There were a lot of led walks, dancing, singing and get togethers.

Enjoying Coffee and the view

APRIL 2010

A lot of our members attended the National Easter Meet at Sawston, and despite all the rain beforehand the field was in a reasonable condition. There was too much happening to be able to mention it all but it was a very enjoyable meet. It must be 15 years since we camped at Manley Village Hall and I will certainly book it again as it was handy with the hall being across the road. It is a social club so we were able to use the bar, but they also didn't mind us using the kitchen to make a brew. It was our AGM and Fred Fearon was appointed as our Chairman. Apart from Kevin Downing coming off the Committee because of health problems, the Committee members remain the same. It wasn't very far to walk to the lovely Delamere Forest.

Bob brewing up

MARCH 2010

Our Camping season got off to a good start at Whittingham and we made use of the Club during the day and danced each evening and Geoff led a walk. It was our first time at Haslingden Cricket Club and turned out to be a good venue with being able to use the Club during the day as we could have coffee mornings and music workshops and also dancing in the evening. We had two lovely walks, one led by Jeff Hoyle and one by Geoff Errington.

Band workshop in the Conservatory

FEBRUARY 2010

We had our usual Winter Social at Adlington and had a lovely buffet supplied by members. Michael and Doris led a walk round Cuerden Valley on a snowy day but 11 people enjoyed the walk.

JANUARY 2010

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009

OCTOBER 2009

What a great end to our camping season at Wrenbury with 33 units and the sun shone on us as well. We had dancing in the hall on site and a lovely buffet supplied by members for tea on Saturday. Carole Formilli led a walk and we had a lunch stop at Marbury Church overlooking the mere. As there were quite a lot of musicians camping on the commercial site they joined our musicians for a music get together on Saturday morning and I understand there were 32 altogether.

SEPTEMBER 2009

We had our first meet at Great Sutton Village Hall on the Wirral and, in fact, it was the first time they had had a caravan meet. It was very handy with being next to the hall for coffee mornings and dancing, and there was a shop selling newspapers, a couple of pubs, bus stops to various places within a few minutes walk and also a chip shop which tempted us to all have a fish and chip tea sitting outside in the sunshine. Our Harvest Supper meet was held at Langho which is a very nice site with views of the surrounding hills. On Friday evening we celebrated Rod and Elaine's Golden Wedding Anniversary and also Maureen Spurr's birthday with wine and nibbles and on Saturday tea-time we had hotpot and pies and crumbles.

Rod and Elaine's Golden Wedding Anniversary

AUGUST 2009

Another really great holiday meet at Halsall, near Southport. Unfortunately it was so popular we had to turn people away on the first weekend. There were craft, music, song and dance workshops during the meet and dancing and games each evening, sometimes with a band and we were entertained by some of our talented members. There were also various activities arranged which the children enjoyed.

Making Maureen's lovely parchment cards

JULY 2009

We had a very pleasant meet at Tarporley with dancing two nights in the local hall and an impromptu Jacob's Join Tea and fortunately it brightened up in time for the tea. At our ten day rolling meet at Thornton-in-Craven and Bolton-by-Bowland we had a lot of rain and only managed to sit outside in the sunshine for our coffee morning on one morning out of ten. However, fortunately, apart from two days when it rained all day, we did get some nice late mornings and afternoons so were able to go walking. We had fun sitting on straw and dancing in the barn at Thornton with the animals competing with the singers! It was the 30th year that we had held our Holiday Meet at Tywyn which Allan and Lilian organise with others helping to steward.

Having fun with Fred playing the spoons at Tarporley. Bill seems to be enjoying having Fred's hand on his knee!

JUNE 2009

It was the first time we had used Brocklehead Caravan Park at Darwen and it is quite high up so there were good views from the site. It is also a very good walking area and we had two very nice walks in the area, one to the Jubilee Tower. This photo shows the new tent we have got so that we can still have get togethers if the weather is bad, but we did manage to get some sunshine.

MAY 2009

The May Day meet at Siddington was a very enjoyable one as usual as we have the use of the hall for the full meet. We had a record turnout at Llandudno with 90 units (photo showing some of them) and it was a good job everyone didn't decide to go to the dances as we would have had to put up a house full sign. We had lots of sunshine, although a cool wind at times. I think Bob would have been rather relieved that they didn't all come over for coffee either! We followed on to a site at Ruthin which has lovely views of the surrounding hills and less than half an hour to walk into Ruthin and the weather was great.

View of the site at Llandudno

APRIL 2009

Many of our members attended the National Group AGM which was held at Uttoxeter and was it very enjoyable with lots of activities. It is a good venue with a lot of hardstanding so no need for the organising group to worry that the meet could be cancelled if the weather is bad. It is our turn to organise it in 2011 and it has been decided to use the same venue.

MARCH 2009

Our AGM was held at Cabus and we had a very pleasant meet with get togethers at the hall on site and dancing in the evening. Our Committee is now as follows: Chairman – Molly Clouston Vice-Chairman – Kevin Downing Treasurer – Ray Hartnell Secretary – Lilian Davies Sites Officer – Vivienne Hayes Catering Officer – Bob Hayes Public Relations Officer – Margaret Sudlow Ian Revill – Music Equipment Co-ordinator, Tony Sudlow – MC Co-ordinator, Alan Davies - Regalia We have had various illnesses among our members so it is always nice to have something pleasant to celebrate. Bill and Adrienne had a party for their Golden Wedding Anniversary. Their three children are on the photo with one of their granddaughters. Lynn Hoyle who is on the stage entertained everyone for the evening along with Jeff. Our second camping meet was at Cranage Village Hall which was a very enjoyable one with coffee mornings, a skiffle session and craft workshop and a lovely walk on Sunday.

NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY 2009

OCTOBER 2008

SPRING BANK 2008

We had a great ten day meet in Wales staying five nights at Tal y Bont which is about 10 miles inland from Llandudno and 5 nights at Carrog, 8 miles from Llangollen. Carrog is at the end of the line for the steam railway which runs from Llangollen and many of the campers took the opportunity to take a ride on it. We had dances at each meet, music, singing and games from the past like skipping and rounders. North West members should be very fit but unfortunately heart by-passes and hip replacements are getting very common!!

MAY 2008

We had a large turnout for our May Day Meet at Siddington with lots of activities - Tai Chi, Aerobics, Music Workshops, Skiffle and Singing Sessions, Walking and dancing and entertainment each evening. Six members had their birthday round about the same time so we celebrated it with a Tea Dance and birthday Cake.

APRIL 2008

JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH 2008

DECEMBER 2007

We had lots of fun at our Christmas Party at Adlington with games, dancing, music and singing. Members were very sad to learn of the death of Harry Caine who had rarely missed a camping meet until the difficult decision Harry and Beryl had to make to stop caravanning a couple of years ago. This is a link to listen to Harry singing a song which Maurice Pursell has put on a website. Full song at high resolution (broadband only) http://www.4shared.com/file/33234000/6b97d387/Harry_Caine_Loch_Tay_Boat_Song.html Low resolution for dial-up users): http://www.4shared.com/file/33550863/b7f0264c/Harry_Caine_Loch_Tay_Boat_Song_Low_Res.html

Photo of Harry taken at our meet at Arnside in 2004 with Beryl standing nearby.

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007

SEPTEMBER 2007

George Large has had a heart operation and is now recovering well. Maureen Downing is waiting to have her second knee operation. Tarporley where we had our first September meet is an extremely nice small town with some lovely shops. We were able have coffee mornings and two evening get togethers on the field as the weather was kind to us, and also had an evening dancing. Tony led a four mile walk on the Sunday. Chipping was our Harvest Supper meet and was well supported and Lilian organised the supper. It is a lovely village and a good area for walking. Fortunately, after an extremely wet start on Friday morning the weather improved. We had two dances in the village hall and two walks, one led by Geoff and Nan and one by Mac.

Striding out at Chipping

AUGUST 2007

JUNE/ JULY 2007

MAY 2007

Out usual meet at Siddington was well attended with lots of activities to keep our members busy. Molly decided to bring along some kazoos and members enjoyed being able to take part in some of the music workshops, even though they couldn't read music. We had over 70 units at the meet at Llandudno which was a record. We had sun a lot of the time, but with a cool breeze and one day with a lot of rain. Music workshops and coffee mornings were held in Allan and Molly's tent and get togethers on a couple of evenings. We had three dances in a local Church hall. A lot of the campers are visitors and not joining us because it is a folk section meet so we don't really see anything of them as they don't join in anything, although they are, of course, welcome to join us any time they want. Allan led a walk round Penmaenmawr and Geoff led one from the site. We moved on to Bathafarn Hall, Ruthin which was a new site for us and I was pleased that the feedback from members was very positive and they wanted me to book it again. I must admit it did feel better than the larger meet because you had an opportunity to chat to everyone. Geoff led another walk for us and Margaret and Tony organised a fish and chip tea. We had get togethers three evenings and a dance two evenings.

Fred Fearon makes bread every day in the caravan and did us a breadmaking demonstration and supplied ingredients so that we could go back to the caravan and bake our own

APRIL 2007

We had a good turnout for the Easter Meet at Tytherington High School near Macclesfield with lots of activities during the meet and what wonderful weather we had. Our AGM was held at Carnforth and the following members were elected on to the Committee: Alan Davies - Chairman Roy Allan - Vice Chairman Tony Sudlow - Treasurer Lilian Davies - Secretary Vivienne Hayes - Sites Officer/Webmaster Bob Hayes - Catering Officer Margaret Sudlow - Public Relations Officer Molly Clouston - Committee Member Ian Lucy - Committee Member One Vacancy

Lilian Davies, Alan Davies, Tony Sudlow

MARCH 2007

Our first meet of the season was at Astley Green Colliery Museum and we had music workshops, dancing in the evenings and a Jacob's Join meal. On Sunday we had a slide show by a volunteer at the museum and a tour round it. Our second meet was a first visit to Whittingham Sports and Social Club and members enjoyed being able to use the Clubhouse for get togethers and dancing and also some members enjoyed being able to purchase drinks at the bar.

JANUARY, FEBRUARY 2007

The social at Heskin started the year off, followed by Adlington in February. Allan and Ann Smith led a walk in February attended by 12 people and two dogs. Members were very sad to hear of the death of Margaret Burgess, shown on the left of the photo in her Easter Bonnet. Kevin and Maureen became the proud grandparents of Gwilym Clive Llywelyn Smith born on the 5th Feb 2007 at 1.20 am weighing 8lbs 10 oz – parents Amanda and Clive.

SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER 2006

AUGUST 2006

We held two successful Holiday Meets this month, one at Tywyn in Wales and the other at Halsall, near Southport which coincided with the Southport Flower Show. We had some very sad news that Ron Crane had died this month and also heard that Bill Ward (Banjo Bill) had fallen and hit his head which had caused damage. He is still in hospital and making a slow recovery. Our meet at Widnes has changed to a week earlier - 28th September to 1st October because of a double booking.

Judith Veevers did Maypole dancing for Children and Adults at Halsall

JULY 2006

We had two very successful walking meets at Caton and Ribchester, although, as there was a heatwave it was really too hot for walking so sometimes we just did a short one. With the weather being so good we were able to have activities 'on the field' on the nights we weren't dancing and enjoyed various types of games evenings. The photo is taken near the Crook o' Lune Picnic Site

JUNE 2006

Salterforth was a new site for our section and the feedback was good. It was within walking distance of Barnoldswick if you wanted the shops and also there were lovely walks from the site. It was very hot for a couple of days but then turned to rain. A local lady volunteered to take us a walk which we all enjoyed and we had two dances and a fish and chip supper with a domino drive one evening. Bolton by Bowland was an invite from MAS but there had been a double booking and it turned out to be a holiday meet for Central Lancs. Five units from the North West turned up and had an enjoyable time. Jeff Duckworth led us a walk one day and John, the Sites Officer for MAS also led a walk. We had a heatwave at Greasby and it was interesting visiting the Scarecrow Festival at Thornton Hough. We had a few walks from site and two dances, a domino drive one evening and an evening playing Uno, a card game. We really live it up in the North West Section! Fred Fearon did a demonstration of breadmaking which most people had a try at. From Greasby six of our units went on to Llangollen for the Eisteddfod and enjoyed watching Kevin and Maureen enter a competition with the Adlington Folk Dancers. Charles and Camilla visited the Eisteddfod and Fred took this photo of them. Charles actually shook Janet's hand - she hasn't washed it since.

No, they didn't camp with us but some of our members were at the Llangollen Eisteddfod where they attended 'Golden Balls' Scarecrow

MAY 2006

We had our usual music meet at Siddington which was very enjoyable and there were lots of activities, with craft sessions, music workshops, a tea dance and a callers workshop led by Judith Veevers and dancing and entertainment each evening. Spring Bank saw us at Llandudno with over 60 units joining us. The weather wasn't very kind with blustery winds and rain three mornings, although fortunately we had sun in the afternoons and the meet went well despite the weather with get togethers and three dances. We then rolled on to Tal y Bont and the weather was lovely with coffee mornings, walks and two dances. Stan and Dorothy Bates were delighted to inform people that a baby daughter had arrived safely to their daughter Susan. Bill Normyle had a successful hip replacement. Harry and Beryl Caine announced that they had had to make a difficult decision to sell their caravan. They will be greatly missed.

Coffee Morning at Tal y Bont

APRIL 2006

Our AGM was held at the Easter Meet at Tytherington, Nr Macclesfield. The elected Committee Members are as follows: Alan Davies - Chairman, Roy Allan - Vice Chairman Tony Sudlow - Treasurer, Lilian Davies - Secretary Vivienne Hayes - Sites Officer, Robert Hayes -Catering Officer, Margaret Sudlow - PRO, Committee members - Judith Veevers, Kevin Downing, Stan Bates. Over 50 units attended the meet and a good time appeared to be had by all. We had a very enjoyable meet at Siddington for MayDay with over 30 units and danced each evening and had a tea dance and callers workshop run by Judith Veevers and also two led walks (in the rain).

In my Easter Bonnet

MARCH 2006

Only five units turned out for the first meet of the season at Chorley Rugby Club - one unit is hiding to the right of the photo. Perhaps the occupants were a little bit mad when snow had been forecast, but we had an enjoyable weekend as we had the use of the Clubhouse for the full meet so had coffee mornings and dancing and had half a dozen visitors in the evenings which made the dancing better. We had over three times as many at Cranage and there were three craft sessions, a music workshop, a walk and dancing each evening with soup and apple pie for everyone arranged by Kevin Downing for Maureen's birthday.

DECEMBER 2005, JANUARY, FEBRUARY 2006