The travelling man
The first meeting of the Filey Ladies Monday
Club in October was very well-attended and all the exchanged greetings were about the bonus of an Indian summer as daylight hours were fewer.
Chairwoman Brenda welcomed everyone then listed her items of interest on this day, October 3: in 1916 veterinary James Herriot was born. He became well-known in the series ‘All Creatures Great and Small’; in 1999 Tom Jones’ album Reload was a best-seller; in 2011 researchers stated that the song ‘We are the Champions’ was the ‘catchiest’ pop tune of all time.
A few notices were read out: friend of the club, musician Neil Fitzpatrick, will feature on Sunday’s Sky TV channel 226 in Mike Reid’s Tin Pan Alley; the Motor Neurone Disease Society sent a letter of thanks for the club donation of £715.
Fellow member Janet announced that her sponsored bike ride had raised £240 for her charity.
The bring and buy sales table was in brisk business with 10 per cent of profits donated to club funds.
Club business over, the speaker Geoff Andrews was waiting to speak and introduced his wife Nicola who would later help to explain the origins of intriguing items already displayed.
The title of Geoff ’s talk ‘A Traveller’s Tales’ suggested stories of adventurous holidays in far away unexplored places, but that was far from the truth; most of his travel has all been very close to home, and the manner of earning his living. He described himself as a ‘wheeler dealer’ and his career started at the age of eight when he tried to snatch a floating tree branch from a swollen river and nearly drowned - the branch would have become fire logs. Throughout Geoff ’s humorous talk he needed to pause every few minutes whilst his listeners recovered from their laughter, he found fun in all his dealings and most especially with the people he met. He spoke with affection of his family and his apprenticeship with the man who taught him the trade and who became his lifelong friend. He learned to trade from people from all walks of life and bought and sold everything from oranges and eggs or live animals to pieces of furniture valued by Christy’s.
Geoff finished his talk by revealing the names and uses of several unrecognisable tools that he had rescued and emotional stories behind seemingly unimportant papers that had been abandoned. When he was thanked and offered the usual fee, he said that it would be donated to his charity. He and Nicola stayed to chat with tea and scones.
The next meeting will be on Monday October 17 at 7.45pm in the community centre. Natalie Bosomworth will remind everyone that ‘It’s the Contents that Count’. All welcome. arrangement of their choice.
Our Co presently situated in the old Scarborough News building on Aberdeen Walk raises money to help the local community.
The next meeting is on Tuesday October 18 at Scarborough Library, 7.15pm start, with a floral demonstration by Lucy Smith of Richmond entitled ‘Oriental Infusion’.
Admission £6.50 or by membership. A warm welcome to all.
The club meets every third Tuesday at 7.15pm at Scarborough Library for floral demonstrations by qualified National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies demonstrators.
All welcome, admission £6.50 or by yearly membership.