Page 39 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • June 1999 39
Historic hatchments Ladies celebrate 20 years out West
hung again The West Swindon Ladies Club are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year and are already making
Two conserved paintings were re- plans for the next millennium.
turned to St Mary's Church in The club, which young women
Lydiard Park in early May. meets on alternate come along to our
The hatchments are coats of arms Monday evenings meetings. We are a
which would be mounted over the in the Link Centre, very friendly bunch
front door of Lydiard House dur- has thirty mem- and I am sure they
ing a period of mourning before bers aged between would enjoy it."
returning to the church. The two 30 and 75. To find out more
restored works were painted in Club secretary call Maureen
1787 for Frederick, 2nd Viscount Maureen Spours, Spours on 871360 or
Bolingbroke, and for his daughter said, "our club ca- Kath Grayhurst,
in law Charlotte in 1804. ters for women of chair lady, on
The Friends of Lydiard Tregoze part all ages, getting to- 522561.
funded the restoration. The vicar of St gether for a few Celebrating in
Mary's Rev Ann Mackenzie is pic- hours to relax, chat, verse
tured with Mr Gerrard Leighton, make new friends Members were in-
President of the Friends, right, and and listen to our in- vited to write a 20th
Canon Brian Carne, formervicarof St vited speakers. We always try to However the clubis i nother vic- anniversary poem and The Link,
Mary's, in front of one of the rehung make our meetings interesting and tim of the steep rise in the rents at also twenty this year, was asked to
hatchnncnts fun and have had guests talking the Link Centre. From 12 July the be judge. We chose Diane
on subjects as diverse as local wild- West Swindon Ladies will be meet- Greetham's entry:
life and clairvoyance. We also ar- ing in the Sunshine Room, Westlea West of Swindon 1979
range for visits from local crafts- School, Langstone Way. Swindon ladies were planning
men and women who are only too The club is always actively seek- how to spend their time
happy to demonstrate their skills ing to welcome new members and "Ladies" they said "a club we shall
for us. It really can be fascinating". stresses that age is not important. form," and so West Swindon La-
Outings, quizzes and games "Women tend to have the idea that dies Club was born
such as skittles are organised and these sort of clubs are for older Club meetings with talks and out-
the club considers itself excellent women who talk about knitting ings, meant membership soon in-
value for money. Membership is and gardening," said Maureen. creased.
£4 a year with a 50p donation to "We do cater for those interests, And now twenty years later,
club funds for every visit. The but all of us are very young at its popularity has not ceased.
money raised goes towards re- heart and enjoy hearing about and Well done ladies club, hope your
freshments and paying for speak- joining in with issues that affect all 20th birthday is just fine,
ers and the hire of the room. ages. We would love to see more here's to the 30th in 2009.