WRAC Association South & South West Area

Chairman:  Major (Retired) Mack Maskens-McIntyre

Secretary:  Mrs J Ford

Southampton Branch

Chairman: Mrs Jean Doe Tel. 07929 527841

Secretary: Mrs Lynda Jenkins Tel. 02380 470965.

Meetings: First Thursday of the month at 7-7.30pm until about 9.30pm at All Saint's Church Hall, Desborough Road, Eastleigh, Hampshire SO50 5NH. 

Hello to all our friends far and wide,

We hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year and are keeping in good health.

Southampton Branch has been plodding on quite well. We average about 18-25 members per meeting and although our aches and pains trouble us at times we do try to attend most meetings. We are not able to have a Christmas Lunch in December this year so we are going to our favourite eating place, King’s Court in January. Some of our members that can’t make the meetings because of them taking place in the evenings do manage to attend the Lunches so they can catch up with friends. We have managed to get our programme ready for the coming year on time. We get the help of the members to organise this. You can imagine it getting quite rowdy at times but at least everyone has their say (I think).

We thought we were going to go through the year without a new member and then there were two in October and yet another in November. In October we had Ezri Tegan and Norah Gough join our happy band and then Jean Bates joined us, welcome to all of you. Unfortunately at the October meeting (AGM) three of our committee members resigned. Audrey, Hazel and Penny who have worked their fingers to the bone for the branch decided to step down. Luckily they will continue to sort out refreshments and raffle at the monthly meetings; many thanks to you all for your hard work. We welcomed Pauline Keane to the committee, and she is taking over the entertainments side of things.

Some of the members were invited to Val trout’s home where they had an enjoyable time. Carolyn met up with people from her Army days. Even the down-pour that ended up with everyone having lunch in the garage didn’t dampen their fun. Sadly because of ill-health Carolyn has had to resign from carrying our Standard. In steps Di Gardener, who has so far been busy because sadly we have lost two of our members, Hazel Haycock who would have celebrated her 90th birthday in November and Irene Hansford. Unfortunately Irene couldn’t make the meetings but I think she and Betty Rush were in regular contact.

We have had three special birthdays this year. Our little TV star Penny Bailey was a very young 90 years in February. Penny is on the ball at all times with her one liners. Next came Barbara Bennett who was 60 years young in October. You haven’t caught me up yet Barbara!!! Barbara’s ‘better half’ is our very own resident singer, Tony. Bringing up the rear is our chef Gail Langton. Gail invites the Branch every year during the summer to Lunch. We enjoy a two course lunch with a raffle and lots of talking and go home very contented. Another regular event is Gail’s Coffee Morning at which we have a chat and a bit of fun, Penny Bailey made her debut as Dolly Parton. It was lovely to see Val Trout at Gail’s and I’m sure she enjoyed the entertainment.

ail is the one that makes the cakes for the members that have special birthdays but the tables were turned when I asked our daughter Toni to make a cake for Gail. Gail runs Cub/Scout packs in her area so Toni made her a cake with the boys sitting around a camp fire. I hope it was a surprise for her.

Well to all our friends, hope the coming year is all you wish it to be and as they say in the Star-Trek movies LIVE LONG and PROSPER.

Margaret Barham receives her certificate from the Vice President