FIRTREE
(Friends in retirement taking relaxation, exercise and education)
Firtree Newsletter October 2021 Issue 511
At last, we can meet together and just in time for us to hold our official annual meeting. It will need to be quite a short meeting, but that should still give us time for both a discussion on where we go from here and for some social time together.
So, here is the official bit:
The Annual General Meeting of Firtree will be held on the 19th October 2021 at 11.00 a.m. in Grange United Reformed Church Reading RG30 3AJ (in the church itself, as the halls are in use by children’s groups). Grange Church is at the junction of Southcote Lane and Circuit Lane and is on the 26 bus route (20 minute service). There is car parking available both in the church car park and in the roads around the church. The doors will be open from 10.30.
The agenda will be Report on the situation of Firtree
Financial report and approval of the Financial report
Election of committee
Future meetings
At our Tuesday Zoom meeting on the 5th October, Graham Horn will be talking about Reading Abbey – 900 years of history.
Your committee will be meeting by Zoom on the 12th October, in preparation for the AGM on the 19th. If you have any questions to ask, or anything you wish to discuss at the AGM, please contact one of the committee.
We shall be meeting at Grange again on the 26th October from 11.00 for a games and social morning, and then on the 2nd November for a talk led by me on Law and Disorder.
I am going to use that word!! Christmas!!!! It isn’t that far away and I will be looking for volunteers for our party pieces on the 7th December, when we should be able to have a live show. Sadly, there is no local facility now for indoor bowling and we are still looking for a place for the Songsters and Movement to Music.
We still don’t know about a return to the chapel but Mark is keeping an eye on that.
Gloria has kept the Garden Circle going throughout the recent months and they have enjoyed several very successful outings. We hope our return to meeting together will be just a beginning of our return to “normal”. Zoom has been of great value, but only for those who can use it. Recently one of our members was able to join us from her hospital bed. One group that I am involved with has decided to continue using Zoom in the future, as the group is quite widespread geographically – one member lives in Australia!
For a local group such as Firtree, the best contact is always personal contact and that is what we hope to provide once again. It is very difficult for us to find a speaker every week, so if you know of anyone who can lead one of our sessions then please let us know. We have managed through the recent months with Colin and Mark each leading a session every other month
October the 1st has become Older People’s day in recent years. This year is no exception and the Broad Street Mall (aka the Butts) is once again a centre of information and entertainment for Older People. Sadly, because we haven’t been able to offer anything this year, we don’t have one of the stalls, though I will be there with Gloria’s Firtree hat on – if we can find it.
And now for something lighter, this time from a book by Mike Haskins.
Two old men are sitting on a bench outside their retirement home. Suddenly, a female resident, dashes past them jogging, completely in the nude.
“What was that?” asks one of the old men.
“I think it was Mavis from Room 22” replies his friend.
“Was it really?” says the first “What was she wearing?”
“I don’t know” replied his friend “but it certainly needed ironing”.
A policeman is called round to an old lady’s house as she has a complaint about the man next door. “He wanders around all day with nothing on and the curtains wide open.” The policeman was concerned by this and looks out of her window but he can’t see what she is complaining about. “I’m sorry madam but I can’t see into your neighbour’s house from here at all”
“Oh you can “says the old lady, “if you climb on top of the wardrobe!”
I hope to see as many of you as possible on the 19 October, as we have a lot of catching up to do. Your committee have all served well over their elected time willingly, but we do need to find some new volunteers. Colin and Mark have shared the roles of Chair and Vice Chair between them, but Monica has not been able to share the Treasurer’s work at all, so we need to find someone to work with her, with a view to taking on the job eventually. Welcome back!
If you want to know more about Firtree, contact Colin Ferguson (colindf@btinternet.com) – 0118 9482557, – Mark Bowman – 0118 9677130 – or Liz Prior on 0118 942 2958
Firtree 