Celebrating 30 Yeats of the Bush Club in Bampton

written by

Anna Pitt

£12

A Bampton Archive Publication

A Bampton Archive Publication www.bamptonarchive.org

First published January 2016

Thank you to everyone who has helped with this publication and with the exhibition at the Vesey Room, in the Old Grammar School in Bampton.

Many people have shared their thoughts and memories in order to document the story of what has undeniably been a highly successful organisation almost exclusively run by volunteers and has for three decades provided care, friendship and entertainment for many elderly (and not so elderly) people of Bampton and surrounding villages.

The author of this work acknowledges the respective copyright owners for the images and photographs used.

BCA-18/A January 2016

The Bush Club 1985 to 2015

written by

Anna Pitt

A Bampton Archive Publication

Author’s Note There have been some slight changes to the name of the Bush Club over the thirty years of its history. The Bush Centre was the name of the executive committee that looked after the financial and legislative side of things, together with all things buildings related, whereas the body responsible for the Wednesday sessions was the Bush Club.

I have chosen to refer to the Bush Club in this book. Although I have tried to present a potted history of both sides of the organisation, I feel that ‘Bush Centre’ does conjure up thoughts of a building or venue whereas the ‘Bush Club’ is really about its people - its members and its helpers are the really important bit. It is the people - not the policies or places that really make this club what it is.

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Introduction T

he Bush Club is a lunch club for residents over the age of sixty in the village of Bampton in Oxfordshire. The Bush Club was founded in 1985 and has just celebrated its 30th birthday.

The Bush Club runs every Wednesday and offers entertainment and chat and an excellent two course lunch. Its home today is the recently renovated Old School Community Centre in Church View. It is and always has been run by a team of volunteers and remains a valuable asset to the beautiful village of Bampton.

This booklet to accompany a 30th birthday exhibition at the Bampton Community Archive in the Vesey Room at the Old Grammar School in Bampton sets out to tell the story of the club over its 30 years.

Anna Pitt January 2016

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A social club in Bampton for the over sixties

t was in the summer of 1985 that the idea of a lunch club for retired people – who would come and spend a day, see old friends and enjoy a chat – was first mooted.

There was a very obvious need for an organisation to bring together the older residents of the village, many of whom would spent quite a lot of time alone, and would appreciate the opportunity for additional company. Further to this, it was clear that such an organisation could provide important respite for carers.

Mavis Newing was a health visitor in Bampton and she worked alongside Nick HardingSmith who was the social worker with specific responsibility for Care of the Elderly in the locality. It was Mavis and Nick who got together with Matthew Perry, G.P. to investigate whether there would be enough interest to run a Day Centre in the village.

At that time there were day centres in Witney and in Carterton but travel was expensive and Mavis could see that there were many people in the village who were not able to access those services.

Mavis had a good idea of what she wanted to achieve. She had visited The Niccol Centre in Cirencester. Mavis says, “They had just what I wanted for Bampton. Not just a holding centre for the elderly but somewhere to share skills. But it didn’t happen quite like that. What was required was a place where elderly people could come for a cup of tea or coffee and a hot meal and conversation and to give carers a break.”

Mavis Newing telling the story of the Bush Club in 2009

Matthew Perry remembers: “I could see there were a lot of socially isolated elderly, particularly people who had been bereaved.”

Carole, Matthew’s wife, remembers” “You had come home from somewhere and you told me you’d seen something that could be just right for Bampton.”

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Matthew continues: “I felt I couldn’t really be involved myself as I was busy at work and had three young children at the time, but I had a discussion about it with Mavis and that kindled Mavis’ spirit.”

Investigating the possibilities During the spring months of 1985 Mavis, Nick and Matthew corresponded and met together to discuss possibilities. They felt that the need spread beyond Bampton itself and so the villages of Clanfield and Aston were invited to participate too. Following a meeting on 16th April a letter was prepared and sent out from Bampton Surgery inviting people to a public meeting.

Setting up the public meeting

The first public meeting

The first public meeting to discuss the need for a day centre for the elderly was held in the village hall on the evening of 11th June 1985. It was well attended despite the bad weather. The meeting was chaired by Miss Dor Thomson. Miss Thomson explained the purpose of the meeting and asked for a show of hands to gauge whether people felt there was a need. It was recorded in the minutes that ‘the majority of people agreed’.

Miss Thomson explained that there were premises available within Bampton but that they would need support from people in the village.

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An article in the local newspaper

An invitation to a public meeting 9

The Rt. Hon Douglas Hurd was otherwise engaged and so couldn’t attend the public meeting

Richard Savile, Chairman of Age Concern Carterton, talked about how the Day Centre at Carterton was established and then Mavis Newing spoke. Mavis quoted some statistics from County Hall in Oxford that showed that ‘the population as a whole is retiring earlier and living longer’. The projected figures for the over 65s in Aston, Bampton and Clanfield suggested an increase of 27% from approximately 550 in 1985 to 700 by 1992. These figures did not include any expansion of the villages, which has of course taken place over the last 30 years. She then shared her vision for day care in Bampton.

Mavis Newing sets out her vision for day care in Bampton 10

Concerns over funding

Several people ask questions and shared their concerns about funding.

One resident expressed her concern ‘that fund-raising in the village was rather over the top at the moment’. Bampton residents today, will probably feel that’s something that hasn’t changed. But just like now, that didn’t put a stop to the idea.

It was thought that a small one-off grant could be applied for but that the centre would have to be largely self-funding with people contributing towards the transport costs and paying for their lunch.

A wealth of support

Within weeks lists of volunteers were drawn up. There were plenty of offers from within the community from people willing to give their time as drivers, day helpers and cooks. It was a very encouraging response, that showed the community spirit of our villages.

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Forming a committee

A further public meeting was held on 25th June. It was decided that the centre should be called “The Bush Club� and that meetings would be held on a Wednesday. Irene Sharp and Terry Argles offered to take on the role of co-ordinator and assistant co-ordinator.

An executive committee was set up to take the project forward. A document shows that the committee was made up of the following people to whom we would like to express our thanks for their pioneering work. The committee was very grateful for the huge amount of support from County Councillor, Geoffrey Fowler. In addition, records show that Bishop Paul Burrough chaired some of the early meetings before Rosemary Colvile (now Pelham) became chair.

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Deciding on a venue

It was decided to use the Scout Training Centre in Bampton as a home for the club. The building wasn’t exactly pretty as it was made up of war time HORSA buildings, that had been erected to make extra classrooms for the school. But by the mid 80s when the Bush Club was being set up it had been renovated for use by The Scout Association as a training centre where they ran weekend residential courses for Scout Leaders.

Although a little shabby, it did offer ample parking, efficient heating, a kitchen and dining area along with a separate hut that would be suitable as a social and recreational area.

It was agreed with the Scouts organisation that use by the Bush Club would be limited to one day a week and that only a minimum amount of storage would be required.

The Scout Hut

These buildings used to be part of the old school 13

Extract from the minutes of the meeting held on 6th August 1985

Extract from the minutes of the meeting held on 27th August 1985

Extract from the minutes of the meeting held on 16th October 1985 14

Getting organised

Meetings were set up for the specific groups of volunteers to identify the various tasks required and how to fulfil them. The Executive Committee had to organise necessities such as a bank account, public liability insurance and agreeing an appropriate amount of rent for the building.

It was initially decided that the Bush Club would be opened on 9th October and that a coffee morning would be held on Saturday 5th October in order to raise funds. However, it appears that the first meeting in October didn’t happen. Minutes from the proposed meeting on 11th September are missing so we don’t know what happened. Did the committee visit the Scout Centre on that day? Was there a meeting in September? We don’t know why but on 16th October the grand opening was re-arranged for Wednesday 13th November and that’s when the Bush Club did manage to open its doors for the first time.

The invitation to the first Bush Club lunch

The first Bush Club lunch

The ‘bring and buy’ sale on the 6th November was recorded as a great success and raised £97.84. Booking slips were given out for people to book their lunch and to state whether they would need transport.

The youth club offered use of their armchairs, Mrs Shuker bought place mats for the tables. Miss Inkster provided some flowers to decorate the tables and cooks were asked to bring along their own saucepans. The team of helpers arrived at 9.45am to prepare the room and cook lunch for the 20 people who attended as members.

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A list of the members present at the inaugural meeting on 13th November 1985

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Some pictures from the early days at the Bush Club 17

Funding the club At first it was decided that a £3 charge would be payable to cover six months’ membership and that members would pay £1 to cover the cost of lunch each time they attended. However, by the time the first meeting happened it was decided to charge £1.50 for the whole day to include coffee, lunch and afternoon tea and to offer coffee/ tea and cake for 20p for those who didn’t want lunch.

Two years into the Bush Club’s history and the £1.50 weekly fee was being questioned by some of the members as being a little high, but a significant rent rise was due and there’s no record of the fee being put down. By the spring of 1991 members were still paying £1.50 for their lunch and at that point due to significant increase in running costs the Executive Committee were considering having to put fees up to £1.75 or even £2. By this time the Bush Club was running at a slight deficit.

“No such thing as a free lunch” Records show that in the early days even the helpers had to pay for their lunch. Despite giving up their time and their efforts, without which the Bush Club couldn’t happen, helpers contributed 50p to cover the cost of their food. By 1991 the cost of lunch had risen to £1 for helpers. Today members pay £3 for their lunch and helpers are indeed provided with lunch free of charge in return for their efforts.

Dishing up lunch

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Fundraising At the outset, Jim Gascoigne, who became the first treasurer, and Kitty Jackson and Daphne Pullen along with Mrs Henly worked very hard to raise money to get the club started. The recently disbanded Darby and Joan club kindly gave their funds to the Bush Club, specifying that it was to be spent on the entertainment and education of members. They also donated their crockery. Grants of £500 from Help the Aged and £125 from the Parish Council. The Bampton Welfare Trust and Oxfordshire County Council also helped with funding.

Coffee morning and sale in June 1995. By this time these had become successful annual events organised by Kitty Jackson and her daughter, Daphne Pullen.

In the first year, a successful jumble sale was held in April and a Bring and Buy sale in May and these raised £179 and £192 respectively, both events being organised by Kitty Jackson. Mavis Newing remembers Kitty Jackson and daughter Daphne Pullen whose organisational skills were legendary at the Bush Club. Mavis says of Daphne, “She would go all over Witney persuading businesses to donate prizes”. Records show that Kitty and Daphne’s coffee morning and sale became an annual event and a very successful part of the Bush Club fundraising efforts. The coffee morning on 14th June 2000 raised £666.83, on 13th June 2001 it raised £726.12 and on 19th June 2002 the event raised £699.16, figures that would be the envy of fund-raisers today.

Regular donations from The Spotlight Club in Carterton funded trips to the pantomime and Christmas parties. Grants have been provided by Oxfordshire County Council, Bampton Parish Council and Age Concern. Other donations received over the years include the Bampton Welfare Trust, the Football Club, the Pumpkin Club, the Bampton Beam, Black Bourton Bell Ringers, Black Bourton Village Association, the Elephant and Castle pub in Bampton, The Horse and Groom hotel in Black Bourton and many donations from local individuals and families.

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The Bush Club thrives

By December 1986 the membership of the Bush Club had risen to 42 members and it was decided to start a waiting list. By February 1988 there were nine names on the waiting list.

Ruth Wheeler, who is now a member remembers these early days. Ruth writes: “I became a helper 29 years ago. I was on kitchen duties, preparing vegetables, washing up, and helping in all the general jobs. At that time lunch was served in a building away from the sitting room. We had to take members across to the dining room, in all wind and weather, with wheel chairs etc. Kate Wylie and Margaret Wythes were two of the cooks that I remember.

Later on I had the job of filling in forms when people joined, like their date of birth and next of kin and the name of their doctor. Of course its a lot different now.

Daphne Pullen used to run the raffle and did a great job getting prizes from all over the shop. She was sadly missed when she died suddenly. From then I took on the raffle and took to making after lunch tea. My sister-in-law Ann used to make lovely biscuits until she became poorly, then they were bought. She was a miss too. Francis, my brother was a volunteer driver for many years, until he lost his sight.

I remember Mrs Sharp, Vera Allport, Terry Argles and Joan Granville as organisers.

Fenella took over later and was wonderful, full of fun. We all joined in together.�

Ruth preparing the raffle tickets

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Christmas Lunch 1994

Ron George and Mrs Pullen

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Taking over the lease of the HORSA Building It was thought at first that it would cost £8 per week to hire out the HORSA building which was leased by The Scout Association from Oxfordshire County Council. It seems that when the bill came it appeared to cost £21.25 a week - a figure that just couldn’t be covered. Eventually it was agreed that the Bush Club would pay a charge of 65 pence per person and as attendance stabilised it was eventually agreed on a figure of £12.50 per week.

However, by the summer of 1986 it was already being mooted that the Scouts would be moving from the HORSA building. By September that year it was thought that it would perhaps be three years before the Scouts vacated the premises thus ending the lease, but it was uncertain what would become of the building once they did leave. It was evident, therefore, that the Bush Club may need to consider finding a new home.

The Bush Club was making great efforts to improve the facilities in the HORSA building and concerns were expressed about investing money in a building in which they had no ownership and no security of tenure.

Worse still, it then transpired that the Scout Association, under the terms of their lease were not meant to sub let the building at all. However, after much correspondence, between the Scout Association, the Parish Council and the County Council, on the first of January 1992, the Bush Club took over the lease of the HORSA building from The Scout Association, and worries were allayed for a while.

Renovations and renewals Gradually the Bush Club was able to purchase more and more of the equipment to help the weekly meetings run smoothly. The first major outlay was the purchase of new high backed armchairs and Manpower Services kindly built a ramp to aid access to the building.

Over time the old HORSA building was renovated with new carpets and thanks to volunteers from the Spotlight Club in Carterton it was given a lick of paint. Then in 1995, The RAF presented the Bush Club with a new name plaque.

Kitty Jackson with the new sign in 1995 22

The original dining room had been taken over as an education facility by the County Council and the room that opened out onto Sandford Field in the remaining building was converted from dormitory accommodation to a dining room. Rosemary Pelham remembers calling on the wealth of experience of Frances Cole, who used to teach domestic science. Rosemary and Frances sat down together and planned the new kitchen and over the years so many people commented about how well designed that kitchen was.

Rosemary remembers the building being difficult to maintain, but people were nevertheless fond of it and it served their purposes well. It felt cosy and there was a good atmosphere. By November of 1995, though, there were serious concerns over its state of repair and representatives from the County Council’s Social Services and Planning and Property Services departments came along to a committee meeting to explain.

The building had been surveyed by W. S. Atkins who advised that during high winds of over 54mph or periods of snow, the building should not be used. Oxfordshire County Council could not pay for the repairs. It was suggested that Bampton Parish Council could take over the lease on behalf of the Bush Club and along with this the Bush Club would take on the responsibility for the repairs. Around this time the County Council were looking into the development of the site of the other HORSA building, due to be demolished. A planning application was put in for five homes to be built on the land.

By early 1996 a full survey of repair works had been carried out and found to amount to £19,300. It was thought this would give a lifespan of ten years in the building.

Bampton Parish Council agreed to take on the lease of the building but could not pay for the repairs. By this time the Bush Club had been going strong for ten years and thanks to donations and legacies that had come in over that time the funds were in a reasonably healthy state. However, security of tenure was again called into question. It was agreed that rent owed by the Bush Club for usage since last billed would be waived and that the Bush Club would take on the repair of the building in return for an annual precept of £1,200 net of rent. It was some time, though, before everything was signed and sealed.

Meanwhile, over the summer of 1996 repairs were undertaken. Structural work to the beams together with underpinning was carried out. A new heater was installed and a new gas fire was fitted and the dining room chairs were replaced. An anonymous benefactor, generously offered to pay for a new carpet. Once more the Spotlight Club offered physical help to redecorate and to fit the new carpet.

In 1999 Baraba Daw and Mavis Newing brightened up the main room by painting the panels. New storage cupboards were built and the heating was improved again. The kitchen gained a new fridge/freezer and a new cooker – the term ‘new’ being used loosely here. Things were acquired here and there and repaired and re-purposed. All in all the Bush Club was cosy and comfortable and doing well.

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Red tape and a firm stand

Rosemary Pelham recalls that in the late 80s and early 90s the Bush Club was hailed as an example of community self help and voluntary care, but then towards the end of the 90s into 2000, Social Services started to want to be more involved. She remembers being told: “Rosemary, I warn you it is going to be different now.”

Although the Bush Club was a voluntary organisation, the County wanted to have contracts with every voluntary group and lengthy discussions took place to negotiate a Service Agreement. It was suggested that 45 weekly meetings over the year was not enough, but the committee stood firm and pointed out that as the group was entirely run by volunteers it was important to ensure that they had a break and over the years there had been many occasions when it had been hard to find enough volunteers to keep going. Increasing the number of sessions would not help matters.

This was a time when many voluntary organisations were being asked to professionalise.

Whilst this had many advantages and was designed to ensure that services were of good quality and that all persons involved were kept safe in their roles whether as service provider or as a recipient of a service. Helpers and co-ordinators were now required to attend training courses for First Aid, Moving and Handling and Food Hygiene and these were to be updated every three years.

Lengthy discussions were held to review the ‘plethora of forms’ that social services required. It was a sea of paperwork and quite a strain for a group of volunteers.

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Rosemary knew that she had a solid team behind her. There were helpers who were taking a real interest in the members and their problems and pleasures. The great aim was that the helpers and the members would mingle. And that certainly happened.

Mentioning no names, Rosemary tells me she has had to suggest to someone well into their nineties, that maybe they had done their time chopping carrots in the kitchen and perhaps they should now think about sitting down and enjoying a cup of tea, letting other people do the hard work. Lines are blurred between those who are members and those who help and there has always been a wonderful mix of people from all walks of life who come together to share company and care for each other’s needs. At one point, though, they were asked by Social Services to halve the membership and concentrate only on the oldest and the most vulnerable people.

By this time they had a strong structure with an executive committee to fight the battles and stand their ground on the legislative side and a team of coordinators who got on with the day to day running of the Wednesday meetings.

“It was so important to be able to stand back as Chair and fight the corner,” Rosemary remembers.

So they were able to respond and say that this proposal was totally the opposite of what the Bush Club stood for. The Bush Club was all about inclusivity. Rosemary says: “I have had a ninety-year-old say ‘No thank you, I don’t want to be with all those old people. But it is not like that.”

One of the biggest battles over the years was a so-called policy of ‘Fair Charging’ that was being brought in in 2002/3. After a survey of all the available day care across the county it was decided that a charge of £5 should be made for all day care services, and that included the Bush Club. The introduction of a £5 charge was a serious concern as they felt that some people wouldn’t be able to afford to come any more.

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To date, they had never charged a membership fee and members were only asked to pay for their lunch. Attendance was otherwise free. There followed a series of meetings and lengthy correspondence in an effort to try to resolve the issue. Colin Allport and Rosemary Pelham met with Age Concern who helped lobby the County on behalf of voluntary groups. Colin, who was treasurer at this point, was a great support throughout this difficult time. Not only did he make sure the finances were on a sound footing, he oversaw repairs and insurance, and helped search for a solution to the problem of the fair charging policy.

Despite the regulation and red tape there was a wealth of support and admiration for the Bush Club and a way forward was found. The answer, it seemed, was to become a “lunch club”.

With new regulations coming into being and a greater involvement with Social Services, the Bush Club was subject to regular assessments, not only of what happened at the weekly meetings and how people were cared for, but paperwork was under scrutiny too. It was no longer a case of members just coming along and being accepted into the fold as long as the drivers knew where to pick them up from and deliver them back to (in case they forgot themselves - as can happen). Forms had to be completed and records of attendance kept. Mike Wareham stepped up to help and computerised the membership list and registers were made and kept each week.

A further issue that came to light was the fact that people who were giving their time and effort for free could in effect be held personally liable for anything that went wrong, including failure of the building. It seems there’s always help at hand within the village. The Executive Committee called upon Trevor Milne-Day for help.

With Trevor’s advice and guidance the committee went through the lengthy process of becoming a Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee, thus limiting personal liability. The three directors/trustees were Rosemary Pelham (Chair of the Executive Committee), Peter House (Treasurer to the Executive Committee) and Mavis Newing (Secretary of the Executive Committee). The Bampton Bush Centre officially became a Company Limited by Guarantee and Not Having A Share Capital on 11th November 2004. It continued to operate its Wednesday Lunch Club in the same format that had been running for by now nearly twenty years.

Thankfully, the Bush Club has survived the red tape and regulations and remains a wonderful mix of age, and ability and still the only charge is the £3 members pay for their lunch.

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Out and about

Over the years the Bush Club members have been able to enjoy a variety of outings in the local area.

Lunch at the Ferryman Inn in Bablock Hythe, Tea at Horace’s, and trips to Weald Manor were a regular summer feature of the Bush Club year and members have made annual trips to the pantomime in Oxford or Swindon. (Oh yes they did!)

Weald Manor June 1998

Tea at Horace’s in Ramsden July 1998 28

Members have also visited Cotswold Wildlife Park, Blenheim Palace, Lechlade Garden Centre, Foxbury Farm, Millets Farm and the Parachute Training School at RAF Brize Norton. In 1999 the members enjoyed a ‘Mystery Tour round the Cotswolds’ but so far photographic evidence of where they went hasn’t been found so maybe it will forever remain a mystery.

Horace plays for us July 2000

Lunch at the Ferryman Inn, Bablock Hythe May 2001

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Cakes ready for tea at Weald Manor in 1998

Tea at Horace’s in 2008

Sally Proctor, Bush Club helper, has accompanied the summer visits for three or four years now. She writes: “The highlight of the Bush Club summer term was for many years a visit to Horace Holifield’s home at Ramsden. It was reported that Fenella Gray often used to take all the food and cook it in Horace’s kitchen, no mean feat. Horace would play the organ during lunch and a sing-song would take place afterwards. A walk round the delightful gardens followed, to view the summer bedding, ponds with goldfish and abundant floral containers. We were all brought home in two buses by Martin and his friend.”

Horace’s Garden

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Visits and entertainment As well as the regular outings to plan and organise, there is a programme of entertainment and activities at the weekly lunch meetings.

There have been visits from Bampton School and Pre-school, visits from local people who share their skills and expertise. There have been activities such as mosaic workshops, painting pottery, making jewellery, knitting dolls’ cradles and making shoe box gift hampers for charity.

Sing-songs are a regular feature as well as armchair fitness, led by local physiotherapist, Fiona Farmer and a chiropody service by Martin Drew.

The record of the autumn programme from 2007

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A visit from Bampton School

Pottery painting

A mosaic workshop 32

The dedicated helpers over the years One thing is for certain. Our Bush Club would not be the thriving club that it has been over the last thirty years without the assistance of the dedicated helpers who have given their time, energy and expertise to ensure the smooth running of the club as a whole as well as the weekly meetings and outings.

Rosemary Pelham feels that one of the great strengths of the organisation over the years was its structure. They had an Executive Committee to run the management side of things and a helpers committee, consisting of Coordinators and then team leaders for each of the rotas, namely the cooks and kitchen team, the drivers and the general helpers.

The role of coordinator was originally taken on in 1985 by Lynne Shuker, but the whole team soon realised that this was a job for more than one person and so Irene Sharp and Terry Argles stepped in to help in 1986. From then on as each coordinator stepped down, a new coordinator was found. In 1990 Joan Granville stepped in to replace Irene Sharp. In 1993 Vera Allport replaced Terry Argles. In 2002 Barbara Daw took over from Joan Granville and Barbara handed over her reins to Fenella Gray in 2005.

Veronica Baker took over from Vera Allport in 2006. Victoria Brownlee took over from Veronica Baker in 2011. Fenella Gray stood down in 2011 when she left Bampton.

In 2012 it was decided to have four team leaders or coordinators rather than just two and Louise Robinson, Sally Proctor, Gill Connor, Angela Newland are now at the helm.

Of course, there have been many, many people who have helped over the last thirty years and the 30th anniversary celebrations saw many of them return, an opportunity to thank them for all their support and to enjoy the continued success of this thriving organisation.

Cheery helpers in the kitchen - Sylvia and Ruth - 1998

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Ruth Wheeler and Winnie at the summer outing to Horace Holifield’s - 1999

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Fenella Gray cooking lunch - 2008

Eva Deacon (above) and Laura (below) on kitchen duty - June 1995

Left: Vera Allport and Joan Granville, who worked together as coordinators for many years.

Joan took over from Irene Sharp in 1990 and handed over to Barbara Daw in 2002.

Vera took over the role from Terry Argles in 1993 until she handed on to Veronica Baker in 2006.

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Right: Terry Crowley and Mrs Gerring on washing up duty

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Some highlights of the last three decades In 1988 the Bush Club entered the Village Ventures competition and was awarded a prize. Hilda Kent took lots of photos of the occasion.

All the members have their birthdays celebrated but we have to make special mention of course to the 100th birthday of Nelly Brooks in 1997. Other big birthdays have been celebrated over the years. The first recorded of these is the 90th birthday of Mrs Wilcox in December 1987. There have been many more 90th birthdays celebrated since.

A highlight of the weekly meetings mentioned by many members and helpers were the entrance hall displays made by Hilda Kent for so many years. Ruth tells me about the teddy bears, that would be dressed up for different scenes. Pam and Joyce tell me: “She used to frighten us with her climbing. She would climb up on the table to hang a piece of fabric. She used to like to create a nice back drop. She used to put her paintings up too.”

Climbing on the tables wasn’t Hilda’s only conquering of heights. Around the time of her 90th birthday she did a parachute jump and raised over £1,000 for the Bush Club.

Every year there is a Christmas lunch and a helpers’ party and the Bush Club big birthdays have, of course, been celebrated over the years.

One of the displays in the entrance hall made by Hilda Kent from an album of displays photographed throughout 1990

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‘The Young Dancer’ by Hilda Kent

Hilda Kent’s parachute jump at the age of 90 38

Nelly Brooks reaches her 100th birthday

Celebrating 25 years

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Finding a new home The old HORSA building had for many years been threatened with demolition. By the mid nineties the building had pretty much become synonymous with the Bush Club.

When local people referred to the place they would call it the Bush Club. By March 2006 it was clear though that the Bush Club would need to find a new home.

A Bush Centre working party was set up to determine the future accommodation for the club. A myriad of discussions took place and there was an array of opinions.

The Village Hall was considered, but it was too small to accommodate the number of people. The Pavilion was another consideration but this was too far from the village centre for the members who did manage to walk to the weekly meetings. In addition, it was realised that being close to the centre of the village did have other advantages.

Many members took the opportunity to get in shopping, sometimes aided by the Bush Club helpers.

It was a very difficult time and the Bush Club was at great risk of closure but fortunately committee members battled on with the enormous amount of hard work involved in negotiating a new home. Eventually plans moved forward to share accommodation with the Youth Club and the Weightlifting Club with a building programme that would see the adaptation of the main building of the Old School.

In October 2011 the Bush Club finally managed to move into its new accommodation across the car park. The move itself was its own little battle and due to a delay in the building being ready help was in short supply at the time. However, despite the difficulties, the enormous amount of paperwork as well as practical work the move happened. Many people puzzled long into the night to find out how things worked in the new building, ready for the first Bush Club lunch there. Fortunately, that first meeting did take place thanks to the perseverance of Veronica Baker and her team wading through everything that needed to get done.

Rosemary Pelham says: “People still miss the old building. They like their new home and things are settling down very well. People are happy with it, but they do miss the old Bush Club.�

Inside the newly refurbished building

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A new home

The new dining room 41

David Hawkins plays the new piano donated by Molly Kavanagh’s family

The Hat Parade

Easter Bonnets - March 2015 42

The Bush Club today In December, 2015, shortly after their thirtieth anniversary celebrations, I was invited to join the residents for a session to come and chat with current members, to collect old stories and to have a go at dating some of the mystery photographs that we’ve collected for the exhibition.

Connie is a relatively new resident in Bampton and has been coming to the Bush Club for a couple of years now. She says: “Everyone is very, very, very friendly.” She made sure I noted that she’d stressed the ‘very’ three times. Renee said, “I don’t know if you and all the wonderful helpers know what it means to us. The Bush Club really is marvellous. You see, many of us can’t get out and about like we used to, not on our own.

So this really is a wonderful thing.” Marjorie says: “Some people won’t come because they think it is charity, but of course, it’s not. It is friendship, it’s entertainment and it’s about supporting one another. And the food is always freshly cooked.”

I said that I liked the fact that the helpers have their own special things that they cook, so I felt that it was cooked with love. That day we enjoyed a beef casserole cooked by Gaynor – “Lady Beef Casserole” – followed by trifle prepared by Diana. It was a lovely meal, all freshly prepared and cooked by Gaynor and Diana in the kitchen of the Bush Club that morning. Marjorie said that they had fish pie last week which was ‘delicious’.

Gaynor and Diana had (relatively) recently joined the cooks rota. Gaynor said, “I was amazed how many people were involved.” Diana added, “And it all works together and people are so grateful.” Diana said they had lots of letters and comments saying what a lovely lunch it was. “We’re quite privileged,” Diana says. “Because we can do it. We have the time and we have the inclination.” I detected a sense of fun. They were enjoying themselves and I felt they were revelling in the knowledge that what they were creating was going to be very much enjoyed and appreciated by everyone.

The ladies I sat with for lunch were delighted to hear that Mathew Perry would be their chef next week. “He serves big portions,” they told me. “He thinks we all starve ourselves when we’re not here.” They are clearly looking forward already to next week.

Many of the members today have been helpers in the past. Elaine Wixey said she used to helped at the Bush Club when it was still in the HORSA building, taking coats, serving the tea and coffee and generally helping out with whatever the members needed. Now she’s officially a member, and she sometimes misses helping out, but then again, she does sometimes get up and help out even now whenever she sees there’s something that needs doing.

Ruth Wheeler was a helper for many years and is now a member. Ruth first started helping out just a year after it first opened. She used to help in the kitchen and generally socialising with the members. She remembers helping some members in wheelchairs across to the original dining room. Ruth’s mum, Lucy Shergold was a member along with her best friend, Nelly Brooks. Ruth remembers Nelly celebrating her 100th birthday. Lucy and Nelly used to go to the Darby and Joan club together a few years before the Bush Club started.

Pam Broughton has also been a helper for many years and is now a member. She says: “I used to do the washing up. Then I got promotion to the teas and coffees.” “I never got promotion,” adds Joyce, who came to help in around 1998 and is now a member. “I stayed on washing-up.”

For a while Pam organised the speakers. Speakers are usually local people who come and share their expertise, their talents and their passions. Pam says: “People used to 43

run the other way when they saw me coming, because they knew I’d be asking them to do a session again.” She laughs and it makes me think about how good it feels when you have had the absolute joy of sharing something you feel is important with a group of people who are engaged with what you are saying, are appreciative of what you are doing and are getting pleasure from the joy of sharing. It brings me back to Mavis Newing’s vision of “what she wanted for Bampton” – that place for sharing and caring, like the Niccol Centre.

I recently had the privilege of ‘talking’ at the Bush Club alongside talented local artist, Sue Turner, of Lane End Vintage, who makes wonderful crafts from vintage materials, which has these days been given the trendy name of ‘up-cycling’. We talked about the desire to de-clutter and how it can be done without throwing things away, and that it’s possible to find a new home for everything. We found a new lease of life for bowling balls, for wigs, for fleece jackets that were beyond even gardening duty. Sue was promised a wealth of materials for her craft work and Ruth even found herself a new job knitting tiny jackets for birthday cards.

Jenny Chaundy now organises the entertainment programme. This has included visits from Bampton School, Bampton Choir, pianists & guitarists, sing-alongs and watching some of the Bampton Community Archive DVD’s which many of the Bush Club members have contributed to. There have been active sessions like ‘Seated Dancing’, ‘Laugh Out Loud Yoga’, Scottish dancing demonstrations, planting up hanging baskets and a highlight has to be the Hats Fashion Parade. Jenny writes: “Sarah Main of Hats Whiskers delighted us with her beautiful range of individual ladies and gents hats.

With true Bush Club spirit, the members were happy to try on and model different hats and parade round to Abba’s ‘Dancing Queen’. The gentlemen looked very dapper in their top hats and during the morning there was much mirth and laughter.”

Bob Tapsell says: “We need more members. A few years ago we used to fill this place.

We need people to know there are spaces. Everyone is welcome.” After a few years of having a waiting list, it has maybe made people not think about the possibility of joining. It would be nice to see the club up to capacity again.

The Hat Parade 44

A typical day The cooks and general helpers start arriving from around 8.30 to 9.00am and do their preparation. The drivers pick up members from their homes and they start arriving at the centre from around 9.45. They have tea or coffee on arrival, served by the helpers and then settle in for a chat.

There is then some form of organised entertainment from 11am. This might be something to watch or something to do, and it gives a focus to the sessions and brings fun and laughter. At 12 noon the members go through to the dining room. There are plenty of people on hand to help those less mobile than they used to be - whether that’s other members lending an arm or one of the regular team of ‘general helpers’.

The lunch is always freshly prepared, two courses. They might have beef casserole followed by trifle or cottage pie and then apple and blackberry crumble with custard.

Great food is always better when it is shared.

After lunch it is back to the sitting room for another cuppa and the raffle. Everyone brings something in and Liz Tanner draws the raffle and gives out the prizes.

At around 1.30pm the drivers return and start to take the members home again.

David Hawkins at the piano 45

The Drivers Kate Howlett now organises the drivers. She writes: ‘We have at the moment 13 volunteer drivers, all of which are extremely flexible, for example filling in for one another when there are holidays or appointments. Eight drivers do the morning pick up on alternate weeks collecting the members between 9.30 and 9.45, there are five drivers who pick up in the afternoon, on alternate weeks at about 1.30, but as there are fewer in the afternoon some of the drivers have to come back for a second collection. I think most of the drivers are retired, and a few have other commitments. It would be good if we had a couple more drivers, so that the afternoon drivers would only have one collection, but it works fine and they don’t seem to mind having to do two runs.

“Before I do the rota I would call them all just to check that they are still happy to continue, then ask them if there are any days they cannot drive, once I have done the rota I deliver it to them or send by e mail.”

The Cooks Helene Grygar organises the cooks.

The rotas work in terms and each cook does roughly a couple of sessions per term, so they do about six sessions in a year. I ask Helen how she organised the rota. “With great difficulty,” she says, with a wry smile.

Matthew and Carole Perry joined the rota as cooks a couple of years ago. Matthew describes their routine: “We cook together as a team. We shop on Monday. I met a friend in Sainsbury’s this week when I had my trolley piled up full of carrots and potatoes and she said: ‘Do you know something I don’t?’ We generally prepare the food on a Tuesday and then we finish off the cooking early on Wednesday morning, serve out lunch and then go home and collapse on Wednesday afternoon!”

A voice calls from the other side of the counter, “Lovely pudding! Home grown apples?”

“They are,” replies Carole.

The General Helpers While the cooks, vegetable chefs and washer-uppers are busy in the kitchen, several more helpers are on hand to serve tea and coffee, to help people get around, to organise the set up of the furniture and the day’s activities and to generally chat to the members and make sure everyone is looked after.

When lunch is ready, the helpers assist members to the dining room and then serve the lunch. When everyone is served, the helpers will also get their lunch and find a free space at one of the tables to join in with the chat, before getting up and clearing plates ready to serve pudding.

Then there is tea and coffee to serve back in the sitting room and after supervising the return home, handing over to the drivers, they clear up the room ready for the next occupants of the building.

There are currently around 45 people who are part of the Bush Club team of regular helpers. Some of these are also members. The organisation is phenomenal and it works ‘like magic’.

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The table is set for Christmas lunch in the new building

The Christmas Cooks - Jo Lewington and Helene Grygar

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Autumn Programme 2015

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Celebrating the Bush Club’s 30th Birthday

Article in the Bampton Beam following the 30th anniversary celebrations

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The birthday cake - celebrating 30 years 11th November 2015

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Over 100 people joined in the celebrations

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Christmas Lunch 2015

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I very much hope the Bush Club will continue to thrive for many more years. It is a success story that shows what can be achieved when people pull together to make something happen. When Mavis Newing set out her vision for the Bush Club in 1985 there were around 550 residents aged over 65. There are now more than 850. These days we all hope that we’ll live longer and we all want our quality of life to be the best it can be. At every age we want company and friendship, good times and laughter and we need to share the hard times and sadness with people we know and care about. As we get older, and many of us get a little less able to get out and about, The Bush Club support network of cheery helpers is there for a once a week get-together, a chance to catch up, have a natter, enjoy a hearty lunch among friends and neighbours. Long may that be so.

Renee says: “I can’t get about like I used to, but I still love a good dance.” She jigs about in her chair as she says this.

“I still like to have fun” 53