21 YEARS OF COFFEE

In April, the Wednesday Coffee Morning held at St Peter’s Rooms, celebrated its 21st year with champagne and cake (and coffee!). Over 30 members attended on a very wet morning to enjoy the celebration and thanks were expressed by members to organiser Lorna McCullough, Judy Grande, an original helper and Pat Slater. We marvelled at the fact that when we started there were no mobile phones, no computers and all that they entail. The first rotas for the helpers were typed on a typewriter with carbon paper but they all knew how to make a good cup of tea and coffee.
The idea of the Coffee Morning was, and is, for friendship and chat. We make a point of staying open all year unless Christmas Day or New Year’s Day falls on a Wednesday and anyone over 55 is welcome.
21 years ago most of our helpers were too young to become members but things have changed and we are all now fully fledged and fully qualifying members!
Early on in our time we also had lunch served by Pat Oliver which was very popular, but now we just meet from 10.00am to 11.00am, finishing in time for the Community bus which brings people from all over the village.
Very occasionally we have visitors who come in to talk to us and one of these introduced us to mosaic making which was much
enjoyed and members work can now be seen incorporated into a display on the perimeters of East Midlands Airport. Once a term children from James Peacock School come down to give us a hand and to meet the members. Young and old mix well together and the children enjoy hearing about the old school that used to be in the building – they are always amazed when they hear that the toilets used to be outside!
21 years ago we charged 20p for the morning, then 30p, and from this month we have had to put it up to 50p but we hope you will all
agree that this is a real bargain. Many thanks to all who have helped us in the past and to those still helping us as we start another 21 years of Coffee and Chat.
(By Lorna McCullough)