Leonard Stanley Wine Circle

WITH our Chairman on holiday, David Price stepped very ably into the breach and welcomed a slightly depleted group of members.

However, we had two new visitors Jane and Adrian Roberts who we hope will join us.

After apologies from members, David reminded everyone that the money for the outing in July was now due and details of timings etc would be given in due course.

The annual Garden Party on June 27, is this year at Sue and Graham Jones’s home at Yew Tree Cottage, Leonard Stanley, however there is a slight chance that due to family commitments that this could change.

If this does happen, then members will be informed before the event of the new arrangements.

Our speaker this evening was Marion Beagley who gave a talk about her Cockney mother.

However before she did this, Marion explained that her talks were aimed to raise money for Chernobyl Children’s Life Line.

All of us could remember this terrible event on April 26, 1986, but like most disasters tend to fade away over time in the public’s minds.

However this legacy is not over and is still affecting children being born now with cancer, loss of limbs, brittle bones etc being some of the side effects of radiation which will effect generations to come.

Its also caused severe poverty within families, with 23 per cent living on contaminated land and 92 per cent suffering from illness.

Marion explained that Chernobyl Children’s Life Line was established to give direct help to families and how children aged between 10 and 11 years were sponsored to come over to the UK for a holiday, usually four weeks duration and went back with colour in their cheeks and looking so much better.

Apparently this duration of four weeks, adds two years to their life span.

Such a well worth charity.

Marion then gave a most interesting and illuminated talk on her mother who was a real Cockney and taught her the cockney alphabet and lots of their sayings.

Marion had researched her subject well and kept informing us of things we knew little or nothing about.

She also showed us how she had created clothes using genuine pearl buttons similar to the ones that the Pearly King and Queens wear but which are still ‘work in progress’.

It’s a shame that this will be the last talk Marion will give as she has decided to retire and we feel lucky that we were able to listen to her.

She finished off with some well known Cockney songs which we all joined in with.

Besides giving her £60 for her talk, we raised just over another £60 for her charity by personal donations.

Then it was supper time at a well laden table, with our usual glass or two of wine.