Fleet group marks 30 years of healing talks
After being founded by Sidney Stickney in 1984, the local branch of the national Healing Trust organisation has gone from strength to strength
THE Fleet branch of national charity The Healing Trust has celebrated its 30th anniversary.
The group toasted the landmark with a party at Ancells Farm Community Centre, in Fleet.
The branch was set up by Sidney Stickney, a former chartered engineer who had already been a healer for some 25 years, after he gave a well attended talk on ‘Healing in Egypt’ and, at the end of the evening, invited those who wanted to start a community service to speak to him.
On June 1 and 8, 1984 the Fleet News ran articles about him and his healing work entitled “Spiritual Healer’s Miracle Cures” and “Healer Claims He’s Cured 5,000”.
As well as providing healing services and training student healers, the group has hosted popular talks and musical events.
Sidney himself gave a talk on ‘Karma and Reincarnation’ in 1989 while, in 1992, an evening of Tibetan philosophy was presented by a Buddhist monk, the venerable Geshe Sonam Rinchen, and traditional doctor Losane Tenzin, which was attended by 160 people and raised £400 for Tibetan monks in India.
Other notable speakers over the years have included John Twobirds, an elder of the Ojibway/Choctaw tribes; Wallace Black Elk, a Lokota elder; author Dr Christine Page; and award-winning composer Tim Wheater, who has co-presented with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
On the group’s 13th anniversary, in 1997, Dr Craig Brown, then national president of The Healing Trust, gave a talk entitled “The Benefits of Spiritual Healing”.
For the group’s 14th anniversary, Gemma Walker gave a talk on “Healing and the Prevention of Disease”.
In September 2001, the group was delighted to receive a talk from Ray and Joan Branch, from The Harry Edwards Healing Sanctuary based in Shere – the world centre for distant or absent healing. “Ray and Joan had worked alongside Harry Edwards after he set up the sanctuary in 1946, and talked about Harry’s work,” said Sarah Callaghan, secretary of the Fleet Branch.
“It was also an opportunity for those present to meet Vincent and Jean Hill who worked closely with Ray and Joan.”
Sidney stepped down as chairman of the Fleet Branch in 1990 and Alex Dove of Goldcrest Close, Yateley, took over.
He had already been a healer for 13 years and had previously been the Fleet group’s treasurer and training officer.
Alex and his wife Mary owned and ran the Spar shop in Linkway Parade, Church Crookham for 25 years until they retired in 1995.
“They were both very dedicated to the Fleet group, giving up much of their time, and always with great kindness and good humour,” said Ms Callaghan.
Although Alex continued to be very active in the group for many years, he handed over chairmanship to Maggie Gifford of Pondtail Close, in Fleet, in 1999.
Ms Gifford was already the training officer for all the student healers in Hampshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire and the Isle of Wight, and ran training courses in Germany, so was well suited to take over the role.
“The group's 18th anniv- ersary celebration coincided with Maggie’s birthday so she had the honour of blowing out the 18 candles,” said Ms Callaghan.
“Our 30th anniversary was a great celebration, enjoyed by all who attended. Here’s to another 30 years.”
For more details about The Healing Trust, call Maggie Gifford on 01252 628714.