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We moved to Nottingham in 1978 when our eldest boy was five
months old and 11 months later our second son was born. Having been part of
a large and active English department in a large comprehensive school, I felt
decidedly stranded away from family and friends and particularly as the other
mothers I met were at least ten years younger than myself. First I became an
Avon Lady and then, at the instigation of Michael Rayner, I joined the committee
of the Community Association in 1982. These two activities combined to ensure
that I soon knew a great many people by name, particularly on Bramcote Moor.
I seem to remember that the first French trip back in about
1983 was my idea - I might even have organised it, but memory is hazy. I do
remember helping with at least one walk - it didn't rain but the long grass
was particularly wet on the approach to Belvoir Castle. What I do remember from
those years, however, was how good were the dinner dances, some of which I helped
arrange, proper dressy occasions with good food and good bands - Ilkeston Co-op,
Grange Farm and at least one at the Royal even before the Silver Jubilee one
in 1987; those were our annual social highlights at that time.
Stan Heptinstall did a double stint as Chair I seem to remember
and so shed the responsibility of the Newsletter which was taken on board by
myself and Graeme Widdowson - I wrote, he 'set' as I couldn't type and didn't
have a computer. We changed the format, had a competition for a logo and, I
think(!), created a more user-friendly clarion for the community. I continued
with this until I left in 1986.
I was Vice Chair to Lindsay Power and from that time mostly
remember her successful drive to get local authority funding, discussion on
whether we should have a community centre and Peter King actively protecting
the Green Belt.
In many ways I remember my own chairmanship with horror! An
awful lot was going on and was achieved but the phone never stopped ringing
- in the end we had to take it off the hook each evening as we sat down to dinner.
I also acted without a Vice Chair as Helen Hubert went off to America but I
did have stalwart support from the Secretary, Marilyn Lincoln.
One major battle that comes to mind was over the play area
on Bramcote Moor where Marilyn and I were trying (a) to appease local residents
who felt terrorised by the crowds of football-playing teenagers, (b) to maintain
an area where children could play and (c) to twist Broxtowe's arm to help us.
We did get them to put in seats to reduce the size of the 'football pitch',
then had to go cap in hand some weeks later for replacements when the first
ones were tom out by their roots!
It was during my Chairmanship that the idea of Neighbourhood
Watch was first mooted. I visited other areas, met the police, held a public
meeting at the school and chivvied and chivvied for volunteers until we had
a 'watcher' in each road. I co-ordinated road maps and lists of names and when
I had finally got the whole thing organised, decided (that ringing phone again)
that it was too big a job for the Chair to do along with everything else so
Co-ordinators were appointed for the Hills and the Moor - as it still seems
to function, I suppose that's my lasting memorial!
The other development from my time, whilst also still flourishing,
had another less happy side effect. This was when the idea of the Care Group
was first mooted. I did some work towards it, then we had a horrendous committee
meeting which went on and on. Then, just when it seemed vaguely settled, some
members protested and, as I was not fully convinced this was the way forward
myself, I let the argument run - and it ran ... It was felt that my Chairmanship
was not firm enough so - that ringing phone again - I chose to resign and, as
advised by my doctor at the time, save my social work till the boys were older.
I maintain an interest in the community from another angle now - I am a governor
at Bramcote Hills Primary School, I am a member of various committees but since
1986 I have studiously avoided being chairman of anything!
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