PAWS May – Trek for Life

Board showing details of Tina Oldfield's daughter and items made by the Nepalese — Board showing details of Tina Oldfield’s daughter and items made by the Nepalese

Trek for Life

39 members and 1 visitor attended our May meeting when Tina Oldfield gave us a talk on “Trek for Life.” Tina’s daughter was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2004 at the age of 24 having been told on 3 occasions that it was nothing to worry about. She fought the disease for 2 years before dying at the age of 26 leaving behind a husband and 2 young children.

To help with her grief and to do something in her memory Tina and 3 others decided that they would do the challenging “Trek for Life” to Everest Base Camp. After 13 months of training, obtaining sponsorship and equipment from companies like Rock Face they set off in the Easter Holidays of 2006.

She showed us slides of the various basic lodges they stayed in along the way together with the incredible landscape and birdlife. Their two porters carried their equipment and clothing which they needed as they climbed to higher altitudes and their guide mapped out their route. At various times they suffered with altitude sickness and found it difficult to even eat (apart from Mars bars which never posed a problem) and supplemented their meagre diet.

At just 500 meters from Base Camp they got snowed in and upon the advice of their guide that it would be impossible to continue in the time that they had allocated for this trip they had to go back down. It was just as well they took the advice as they heard that 3 Sherpa’s had died in a landslide the next day. However there and then they made a pact to come back the following year to complete the walk that they had begun and indeed successfully completed it then. It was an amazing feat and something we all thought was fantastic. Tina continues to raise money for breast Cancer and, on this occasion, she is donating half her fee to the Nepalese Earthquake cause.

Our next meeting is on June when Chris South will give us “A Masterclass in Propagation.”

Details of all our meetings and speakers can be found on the diary of the home page of the Winstred 100 website. If you would like further information about P.A.W.S please ring either of the following committee members: Alice Holmes 01206 735510 or Jane Anderson 01206 735505.

18th May 20158th December 2015

Heritage Watch Launched

Influential figures in Essex’s heritage industry came together on 23rd of April at Stow Maries First World War Aerodrome to launch a new police initiative aimed at protecting the past. Heritage Watch is an Essex Police led partnership between agencies that are committed to protecting our heritage, as well as members of the public who want to help preserve our heritage.

The watch scheme looks to maintain and preserve important places of interest, encouraging vigilance and reporting of suspicious activity around sites. This is to prevent any theft or crime that may damage assets beyond recovery, which may lead to the loss of a piece of history for this and future generations. Heritage Watch locations would include ancient earth works and archeological sites, listed buildings, museums, galleries, religious buildings, historic visitor attractions and others.

Dominic Petre of the Historic Houses Association said he was ‘very pleased’ about the initiative, adding:

When heritage is lost, it is lost forever. Crimes against heritage are not just crimes against the owner. They are crimes against future generations and culture in general.

Chief Superintendent Carl O’Malley said:

In Essex we have some really significant sites, from the Roman remains in Colchester to Audley End House in Saffron Walden. The key element for any watch scheme is to involve a broad range of different partners and bring them together. Through expert advice and assistance, we can all help one another. It is about communication, sharing, understanding and reporting.

For further information contact your local Essex Watch Liaison Officer using the Police 101 non–emergency telephone number.

6th May 20152nd December 2016

PAWS April – Suffolk to Ontario

Suffolk to Ontario

39 members attended our April meeting when Mrs Denise Hammond-Webb took us on a journey from Suffolk to Ontario,Canada. Her great, great, grandfather, Nathaniel Hammond was born in Chelsworth, Suffolk on 8th March, 1851 and was the 6th child of ten. He grew up to be a farm labourer and married Charlotte Hollocks in 1875. They both lived in a tied cottage on a farm in Semer which funnily enough was called Canada cottages.

As their family grew, huge changes in mechanisation on farms were sweeping the country and many thousands of agricultural workers were no longer needed. George, the 8th child of Nathaniel & Charlotte, decided to try his luck in Canada. At the time adverts were everywhere offering grants for free land and assisted ship passages with great opportunities in Canada & Australia.

In September 1912 his father Nathaniel & Charlotte with their three youngest children followed George to Ontario and settled in a village called Thamesford. Very sadly both Nathaniel and Charlotte died of the Spanish Flu epidemic in 1920. Over 500 million people worldwide died of the Spanish Flu. However their children went on to become successful landowners and dairy farmers in Thamesford and now also grow wheat, hemp, tobacco and produce maple syrup.

Our next meeting is on May 26th when we will hear about “Trek for Life” with Tina Oldfield.

13th April 20152nd December 2016

PAWS March – Easter Bonnet AGM

Easter Bonnets & AGM

46 PAWS members attended the March meeting which was also their AGM.

As well as the business of the evening, whereby the committee and President were elected, we also enjoyed a “sweet supper” together with a quiz, a chocolate tasting and Easter Bonnet competition.

Two of the existing committee stood down with one new member, Kate Neville, being elected and Sue Copeland was elected President with Pam Foakes as Vice-President for the forthcoming year. Bouquets were presented to Gen Fretwell, the outgoing President and Jane Banks and Julia Dymond as a thank you for all their hard work on the committee over the years.

The winner of the Easter Bonnet was Diane Cornes (photo right). Jean Hedger (photo right) was also presented with a certificate in recognition of all her hard work on the Sales Tables.

Chris Mutch, our speaker, talked to us about the benefits of Magnetic Therapy in a piece of jewellery and did a hefty trade afterwards.

4th March 20152nd December 2016

PAWS February – Photography

Photography – Crime Scene to Art

41 of us attended the February meeting to hear Chris Farndell’s talk on Photography – Crime Scene to Art. Chris is an ex Colchester Police Officer who for the last 17 years of his career in the force was a Scene of Crime Officer. This involved photographing evidence to assist with the prosecution of cases. This proved to be very diverse covering road accidents, personal injuries, graffiti, fires, footprints and fingerprints etc. He had numerous slides showing us some of the cases he had been involved in. After retiring from the Police Force he taught Photography at 6th form college in Colchester. He showed us a number of beautiful photographs in and around Venice showing how different apertures and exposures resulted in stunning photos. He also had a selection of cameras and photos for us to look through. He was a really interesting speaker and his talk was enjoyed by all that were there. Our next meeting is on the 24th March and is a closed meeting as it is our A.G.M. We will be having a Chocolate Tasting, Cake Sampling and a Quiz. There will also be a prize for the best Easter Bonnet.

Membership is currently closed but visitors are welcome (other than the A.G.M.) at a cost of £5.00 which includes refreshments.

29th January 20158th December 2015

PAWS January – The Storyteller

The Storyteller Entertains

PAWS report on their most recent meeting as follows:

44 Members, including our 2 most recent, were joined by 3 visitors when we welcomed back our speaker John Lilley “The Storyteller” at our recent January meeting.
It was a busy night with membership being renewed and then John relayed a number of amusing stories, antidotes, rhymes and poems relaying how the “British like small pleasures” as written by Bill Bryson’s Notes from a Small Island and other references to Pam Ayers, Parish Magazines etc.
There were a lot of laughs from the appreciate audience.

The next meeting is on 24th February when Chris Farndell will talk on the subject of “Photography – Crime Scene to Art”. Membership is currently closed but visitors are welcome at a cost of £5.00 which includes refreshments.

Details of all meetings and speakers can be found on the diary of the home page of the Winstred 100 website.

If you would like further information about P.A.W.S please ring one of the following committee members: Alice Holmes 01206 735510, Jane Banks 01206 735004 or Jane Anderson 01206 735505.

9th January 20158th December 2015

PAWS December – Clarice House

42 of us descended on Clarice House Colchester on a wet and windy night for our annual Christmas meal. The setting was very elegant in this lovely old house and James and his staff made us very welcome. There was lots of laughter and chat, with everyone enjoying the chance to relax and talk to other members. The meal was really good with a few minor niggles, but nothing that spoilt our enjoyment. There were two quiz’s with lots of banter as to who had the correct answer and then everyone had a silly present from the lucky dip. All agreed that we had a super evening. Those members who could not attend missed a treat but, hopefully, enjoyed spending their £10 M&S voucher!

Our next get together is January 27th when we welcome back our speaker John Lilley “The Storyteller”. Membership is closed but visitors are welcome at a cost of £5.00 which includes refreshments.

Details of all our meetings and speakers can be found on the diary of the home page of the Winstred 100 website. If you would like further information about P.A.W.S please ring one of the following committee members: Alice Holmes 01206 735510, Jane Banks 01206 735004 or Jane Anderson 01206 735505.

28th November 20148th December 2015

PAWS November – Experiences of a Puppy Walker

angus angus-and-marjory-culham Nearly 40 members and 8 visitors came along to our November meeting to meet Angus and his Puppy Walker Marjory Culham. Marjory has worked with 23 dogs on behalf of Guide Dogs for the Blind and explained how it all works. Guide Dogs for the Blind are the largest dog breeders with 250 brood bitches. Puppies are weaned at six and half weeks old at the centre in Warwickshire before going to their “Puppy Walkers” who will look after them until they are 12/14 months old before they then go on to full training at Woodford Green where the real work begins. She explained how she taught them to be house trained (busy or big busy being the terms used) and learning to respond to their name as well as learning skills like using stairs, lifts, going to church, shopping etc. It was important that the puppies got used to different environments and noises. There is a 70% success rate in the dogs being trained with some not making the grade and being rehomed with other departments or the general public. She herself has a Labrador who wasn’t successful as a Guide Dog. There were lots of questions at the end as everyone was interested in this wonderful charity.

There is no meeting in December but we have Christmas Dinner on 9^th December at Clarice House in Colchester. So it only remains for the committee to wish all our members and loyal visitors a Merry Christmas and A Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.

Our next get together is January 27^th when we welcome back our speaker John Lilley “The Storyteller”. Membership is closed but visitors are welcome at a cost of £5.00 which includes refreshments.

4th November 20148th December 2015

PAWS October – Leaf Peepers

white-mountains-1

white-mountains-2

Over 40 members and 4 visitors came along to our October meeting to hear the rather intriguingly named talk given by Mr. Ian Rose of “Leaf Peepers in the White Mountains USA”. Ian told us how some years back he and his wife joined a group of like-minded individuals to visit the States in order to hike the White Mountains in the fall and see the wonderful colours that can only be seen at this time of year. The small group had an excellent guide, Eileen, as even though the trails were marked it was still possible to get lost over such terrain.

He had a wonderful collection of slides showing the beautiful shades of autumn on the many Sugar Maple Trees and being a keen Mycologist lots of photos of mushrooms and fungi including the deadly death cap mushroom. The first part of their trip was uneventful but following some torrential rain the weather changed to -10^o covering everywhere with a snow like substance and making the ascent to Mount Washington impossible. He told us they stayed in accommodation belonging to the Appalachian Mountain Club, they had to bunk sometimes 30 to a room, and the beds were 4 high, and as they were made of timber, and there were no stoves, due to fire risk, so therefore they were unable to have hot food or even a bath for most of the trip! Sheer bliss when they finally were able to bathe.

Again, another interesting evening.

Our next get together is November 25th when our speaker Mrs Culham is going to tell us all about “Guide Dog Puppy Walking”.

1st October 20148th December 2015

PAWS September – NLP, All About You

jane-malyon After our summer break it was lovely to see so many members and visitors at our September meeting where Jane Malyon returned with her talk “All About You”.

Jane explained that she was going to show that we are all different in the way we act and process things, and that these can be changed by Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP). Many people have phobias of things like spiders (that applied to several members!) flying, dentists, snakes etc. all of which can be ‘cured’ by NLP by suggestion and sometimes hypnotism – no she did not try it on us! NLP is observing behavioural patterns, which are often learnt through experience, and changing them to achieve a specific goal.

We had fun finding out what sort of person we were. Did we rush in to do things no matter what the consequences or did we take it slowly and think more about what we were to do? So to change that thinking, a new motivation or goal would be suggested. Body language and intonation is all part of how we speak. If we are happy about something, we look and sound happy; if we are sad, we look and sound sad. This is how mistakes in meaning can happen with text and email, because there is no body language to help to understand the true meaning. An illustration of this was the sentence ‘my cat doesn’t kill birds’; which could be ‘my cat doesn’t kill birds’ or ‘my cat doesn’t kill birds’ – inferring that it may play with them!

This was a fun and enlightening talk and was enjoyed by all present.

Our next get together is October 28th when our speaker Ian Rose is going to tell us all about “Leaf Peepers in the White Mountains”. Sounds pretty intriguing doesn’t it?