2008 Monthly Meeting Programme

January Meeting

Avril Owton

"The Show goes on"

Avril Owton proprietor of Cloud Hotel, Brockenhurst, New Forest gave an inspiring talk to a packed hall. When she lost her husband suddenly from a heart attack 14 years ago, Avril’s life transformed and she commenced on a journey of juggling - running a hotel business while raising a family of four. Her husband had neither life or mortgage insurance and there was no safety provision for their children’s education – in those days she did not know her bottom line on the balance sheet from her washing line. Coming from a show business background, the former Tiller girl had no experience of management, administration or finance.
Avril took on the hardest challenge of her life and learnt how to run the business she had inherited overnight – cleaning bedrooms, cooking guests’ meals and doing everything else within the hotel in between doing everything a caring mum would do for her children.

For an interesting report on the web go to Avril Owton

February Meeting

Jonathan Gerrelli Head N.F. Agister

The talk “The work of a New Forest Agister” was well received by a very good turn out of members. Four agisters are employed by the Verderers of the New Forest to look after the day-to-day welfare of the commoners stock. In late Summer and Autumn, round ups (‘drifts’), which are the responsibility of the Agisters, are held throughout the Forest. The Agisters collect a ‘marking fee’ for the depasturing of the animals and cut the tails to show the fee has been made - each agister has his own individual tail marking so it is known to whom the ‘marking fee’ was paid. The animals are also wormed at this stage and any ponies that are to be over-wintered on properties or taken to the sales are removed. Another duty of the agisters is to attend any accidents involving commoner’s stock.

March Meeting

Eye Specialists

Andrew Luff & Roy McCleanaghan

Another very good speaker on a subject that for the squeamish is hard to take but it was very informative Age–related macular degeneration (AMD) accounts for nearly 50% of all visual impairment in the developed world. It is associated with adults over the age of 50, and is characterized by thinning and atrophy of the macula, an area of the retina responsible for detailed vision. Vitamins play a part in prevention

April Meeting

A.G.M.

A well attended meeting with 78 members. John started the proceedings followed by the Secretary's written report and then the treasurer's explanation of the annual accounts. After that Sally Barrett led her group singers to entertain us by a rendering of many favourite songs. Ending with an audience participation of "Smile while tho' your heart is breaking" to "I did it my way".

May Meeting

Pam Goodall

“Riding it Out”

About eighty members came to listen to Pam Goodall, an excellent speaker. Approaching her sixtieth birthday, she set off riding a tailor-made Roberts expedition bicycle on a journey which would take her around the world – twenty countries in all. She was chased by a rabid dog in Mexico, attacked by teenage boys in Rumania, searched and questioned by police in Vietnam, and all but prevented from entering America because of a permit crisis. She appeared on Indian television with two spectacular black eyes, the result of a major crash which rendered the bicycle unridable. At Islamabad airport the bike emerged on the conveyor belt in several pieces. And the night of her birthday was spent holding down the tarpaulin of the tent which had collapsed during a dramatic storm. New Year's Eve found her alone in remote woods and sufficient frost to freeze the condensation inside the tent.

June Meeting

Jake Simpkins

An Introduction to Soton’s History

His talk started by describing the surrounding region, then focused on Southampton's history. Highlighting benchmark events, including the French raid, the sailing of the Mayflower, the loss of the Titanic, the Blitz, post-war reconstruction, through to the dynamic city of the present day. And, explaining why Southampton experiences its phenomenal double-high tide.
An interesting well attended talk backed by a graphic slide show.

July Meeting

Denise Edwards

Stunt Coordinator

Small numbers today due most likely to the continuos rain we experienced. John told members that we were once again successful in winning a £3250 Awards for All grant for IT equipment and tuition in its use from Totton College. He then intoduced the speaker.

Denise started her TV life swimming alongside Miss Piggy in the Muppet Show! Since then she has coordinated stunts on many Feature and TV films. Her many credits include Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Aliens, Miss Marple, Midsummer Murders to name just a few. In a fascinating account of her professional life, Denise reveals some of the secrets of the film world's most dangerous job.Denise gave a marvellous talk telling all about how she got into stunts - the first time she was set on fire, the first time she was shot, having to jump off a 27 story building but still being frightened of the lift going up. Her repertoire of stories seemed endless as she told of her present co-ordination role, and the many films and TV series she had worked on.

August Meeting
Cream Tea

No speaker this month so the chairs were left so that we could all sort them out as we wanted. The art and craft group displayed their artistic work created during the past year. Marie and helpers produced an excellent cream tea for 50p. David supplied everybody with a quiz, all in all very entertaining.

September Meeting

Brian Kidd

Looking forward to Spring

Full house to listen to Brian Kidd's well delivered talk with lots of jokes to keep everybody awake. Many useful tips for gardeners.
Two new members bringing us to 129.

October Meeting

Roger Bricknell

The Concorde Experience

A packed hall on a nice day for a very interesting slide presentation by Roger on his long service as a flight engineer which coverd the whole lifetime of the Concorde. His many pictures of the controls which were nearly all mechanical with no computer input show the compexity of flying such a plane.

November Meeting

Rona White

Jamaica

Rona White with the help of a slide show and hand chopped sugar cane and other tit bits gave us a good illustration as to the Island's charm and history. Jamaica (pronounced /ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə/) is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, 234 kilometres (145 miles) in length and as much as 80 kilometres (50 miles) in width situated in the Caribbean Sea



December Meeting

John presented a donation to the Garage youth centre. A photo is on the News blog page. We were then entertained by the Maskers theatre company with songs and music in a Christmas theme.