Editorial
Thanks to so many contributors to this issue; those who have written
on volunteering, the new members who have introduced themselves, and the many interesting articles and photographs. Please do not stop! I want the 20th Anniversary edition to be best yet. Pam has asked for our memories of when we joined Bedford U3A and this will be the theme for the next Bulletin. As always, Group news and photos welcome and longer articles on any subject. Gordon’s and David’s pieces give you some idea of maximum length. Thanks to Mike and Shirley, my indispensable co-editors.
Next issue will be the Christmas and 20th Anniversary one.
Audrey Hancock
Send articles for Christmas issue to:
audrey.hancock@btinternet.com
Or by hand to Shirley Jones, Mike Ward or myself
Congratulations
Catherine West for passing her Maths exam
Jane and Bob Allen‘s 50th Wedding Anniversary
June and Ken Silvester’s marriage
Sheila Bass due to be honoured for wartime services at Bletchley. Hope to have photo for next Bulletin.
Roger Platt’s 80th birthday
Mike Eastwood and his 3 siblings celebrate 200 years of married bliss this year.
The Addison Centre and Me. 40 + Years.
On October 3rd 2009, The Addison Centre will celebrate the 40th anniversary of it's Official opening. I am the only surviving one left of the 3 original Trustees who signed the documents in 1968 transferring the land to the Hall Committee from the Howard Estate Trustees.
I expect the reason for me getting involved was that I was an Independent Kempston Councillor and Chairman of the Planning Committee, and a 3rd generation of a family living in Kempston. Over the years on the Committee, I have spent thousands of hours at the Hall, helping in the bar, doing odd jobs, concreting in the car park, painting lines for parking bays. One annual job I used to do was to sit on top of a tower scaffolding being pushed round by the other Trustees taking down the lamp shades, lowering them in a bucket, they would be washed and dried then I would pull them up and replace them, then move on to the next cluster. As some of the improvements have been done, I have measured up, drawn plans and met builders to discuss the work.
With the help of the other Trustees, we have obtained grants for new windows and doors, C C T V, carpet, curtains and toilet refurbishment and other improvements to the building. I have been Chairman for many years now and it takes up quite a bit of time, but I enjoy it and it keeps me active and "keeps me out of the pub" as they say.
I look forward to October when we hope to celebrate another milestone in the Hall's life.
Clive Smith.
Congratulations to Addison Centre on 40th birthday and to Clive and the other Trustees who had the
foresight and energy to undertake such an enormous project and the dedication to improve and maintain it. Photo is of Clive and friends at a Bedford U3A meeting at the Addison Centre. Pam Laycock
