Jodrell Side Branch Meetings 2025
Tuesday 14th January: 'Health & Wellbeing Emotional Management' Maureen Fearon
Tuesday11th February: 'Life as a Criminal Barister' Simon Michael
Tuesday 11th March: 'Bosley Nursery Conquest Plants - Colour for all Seasons' Anthony Norman
Tuesday 8th April: 'Comedian' Lee Carroll
Tuesday 13th May: 'Breast Cancer Charity at the Nightingale, Wythenshaw Hospital 'Prevent'
Tuesday 10th June: Cheshire Wildlife Trust
Tuesday 8th July: 'Climbing the Matterhorn' - James Ellison
Tuesday 12th August: Keyboard Musician
Tuesday 9th September: 'Historian, Post War Britain' David Walmsley
Tuesday 14th October: Members Night
Tuesday 11th November: AGM & Bingo
Tuesday 9th December:
Christmas Dinner
Tuesday 12th August 2025
'Keyboard Musician' - David Payne
August 12th, our regular monthly meeting was a complete change from the usual guest speaker, followed by tea and cake. Instead, we were treated to keyboard player, David Payne, a sing-along and cheese and wine. The songs brought back happy memories as we sang along to Bring Me Sunshine, Morning Town Ride and many other melodies from the past.
The competition – A Musical Instrument brought an interesting collection of items. It was won by Judy Blamey with a Russian balalaika, second Sheila Wood and third Helen Bullock’s miniature violin from Vienna.
Report by Judy Blamey
Tuesday 8th July 2025
'Climbing The Matterhorn' - James Ellison
On July 8th we were treated to an enthralling talk by James Ellison, police officer, mountaineer and crime writer. James described his successful ascent of the Matterhorn. A mountain which has claimed the lives of 500 climbers since the first ascent by Edward Whymper in 1865. The mountain is considered one of the deadliest in the world.
James explained how his obsession with climbing started after university in Scotland. As he continued his police career, weekends and holidays were spent climbing until after 10 years he was drawn to the Matterhorn. Despite being an experienced climber, his first attempt in 2006 followed by a second attempt in 2007 were unsuccessful due to adverse weather conditions. Snow and wind prevented an attempt on the peak. By 2008 he was ready for a third attempt with a friend, Simon. However, Simon was delayed so James climbed solo, leaving the Hornli Hut in the dark at 5.00 am. This was to be his successful attempt, reaching the summit in perfect weather conditions. After taking photos, he abseiled down using rings already fixed to the mountain. Sadly, a few days later, his close friend Simon perished on Mont Blanc during a storm. Mont Blanc claims the lives on average of around 100 climbers each year. James has not climbed since and has also left the police force, spending more time with his wife on their smallholding in Hayfield. He has however become a crime writer. James was an excellent speaker, keeping our attention throughout. He will certainly be welcomed back for further stories of his exploits.
The competition – A Warm Hat, was won by Jean Webb, 2nd Sheila Wood, 3rd Beryl Swash
Report by Judy Blamey
Tuesday 10th June 2025
Cheshire Wildlife Trust
Jean Webb, our President opened the meeting, welcoming three guests who we hope will become members. The speaker for our regular monthly meeting was Becky Williams from Cheshire Wildlife Trust. The trust works across Cheshire managing and influencing huge swathes of land. There are 47 local Wildlife Trusts across the UK. The Cheshire Trust has a network of over 350 volunteers who give anything from a few hours to a few days each year supporting our work. Nationally there are 40,000 volunteers.
The Cheshire countryside is home to several rare species including natterjack toads, bitten, otters and water voles. Two beavers were released in 2020 in the Delamere area.
Becky stressed how much nature needed our help for both encouraging wildlife and plant life. Our own gardens can help in many ways by providing water, a wild area, bee hotels and hedgehog highways between gardens. Even night flowering plants can help moths. It was an informative talk giving us all ideas of how to help our local wildlife.
The competition, An Animal Toy or Ornament drew many interesting items. The winner was Jeanette Howell, 2nd Helen Birchenhough, 3rd Moira Jones
Report by Judy Blamey
Tuesday 13th May 2025
'Breast Cancer Charity at the Nightingale' - Wythenshawe Hospital
Our speaker for the evening was Vicky from Prevent Breast Cancer Charity. The charity, set up in 1996 is the only UK charity committed solely to predicting and preventing breast cancer. They believe breast cancer can be stopped before it starts by continuing to fund groundbreaking research. Unlike many cancer charities they are focused on preventing rather than curing. Based at the Nightingale, Wythenshawe Hospital the charity promotes early diagnoses, screening and lifestyle changes. Science can save lives especially in the field of gene research, environmental risk assessment and the use of preventative drugs. Given the huge increase in breast cancer cases, particularly in younger women and men this was an informative and thoughtful talk.
The competition for the evening was “Something Pink” won by Helen Bullock, 2nd Mo Heaton, 3rd Beryl Swash
Report by Judy Blamey
Tuesday 8th April 2025
'Comedian' - Lee Carroll
After a beautiful Spring day, we gathered in the Village Hall for our regular monthly meeting. Our President welcomed four guests whom we hope will become new members.
The evening proved to be entertaining and illuminating as comedian Lee Carroll re-called his forty years in Showbiz. Brought up in Bristol where his dad worked on the docks, he desperately wanted to do drama and act. After attending Saturday drama school at the Bristol Old Vic, he was spotted and went on to attend R.A.D.A. Pursuing an acting career proved to be tough, so he took a summer holiday job at Pontins. This was to change his life for ever. Meeting his future wife, a singer led to years touring clubs and hotels as a boy/girl comedy duo whilst Lee built up a solo career as a comedian. His success and several lucky encounters found him being commissioned to write jokes for many T.V. shows and reviving his acting with small parts in shows such as The Two Ronnies and Only Fools and Horses. Several tours followed with stars including the Everly Brothers, Gene Pitney, Pat Boone and the Commodores.
Sadly, ill health put an end to months on tour and after a year break from entertainment Lee enjoyed working on cruise ships accompanied by his wife. A more relaxing lifestyle followed which included pantomime with Una Stubb and Priscilla Presley. Lee has entertained crowds as a warm-up comedian on the U.K.’s biggest T.V. game shows including Deal or No Deal but today he excels at after-dinner speaking and thoroughly entertained Jodrell Side W.I.
Competition for the evening was “An Amusing Book” won by Jackie Sutton, 2nd Dagmar Barnes, 3rd Judy Blamey
Report by Judy Blamey
Tuesday 11th March 2025
'Bosley Nursery, Colour for all Seasons' - Anthony Norman
Last night a gentle Spring breeze blew through Goostrey Village Hall as our speaker, Anthony Norman from Conquest Plants Nursery, Bosley gave us ideas for colour in the garden through the Seasons. The nursery is a specialist grower of variegated and coloured foliage hardy plants. Anthony took each Season in turn and with the aid of some beautiful pictures explained what would give a garden constant colour and interest. I now have a long list of plants I want to buy but not enough room in my small garden. Skimmia Temptation, excellent in a container with red berries throughout Winter. He suggested many flowering plants for March to May, pieris japonica, pulmonaria and camassia for years of flowering. June to August was a good time for hostas in a shady spot followed by sedums, anemone and perovskia for September. At the coffee break our members were able to purchase plants from a selection and many went home delighted.
The competition for the evening was a Pot of Flowering Bulbs won by Judy Blamey, 2nd Anne Turnock, 3rd Jean Alcock
Report by Judy Blamey
Tuesday 11th February 2025
'Life as a Criminal Barrister' - Simon Michael
Despite the miserable weather everyone turned out for what proved to be one of our best evenings.
The speaker, Simon Michael, described his very eventful life as a criminal barrister and successful crime writer. Called to the Bar in 1978 he uses his personal experience as a practising barrister for 37 years in the Old Bailey and other criminal courts to write novels based on his knowledge of organised crime in London. He wrote his first book, The Brief, followed by nine others after he retired from the law in 2016. The era about which he writes, the 1960’s, was a period of violent crime when the Krays, the Richardsons and other gangs fought for control of London’s organised crime.
Simon explained that his thrillers are real events of the time interwoven with cases he worked on and the experiences of his family. As Jewish immigrants to London in 1492 after the expulsion of Jews from Spain, his ancestors settled in the East End of London where they remained for 500 years!
Coming from a poor background, a local grammar school pupil, he had to work hard to finance his legal career, working for Barnet Council before university and later during the holidays. He is probably the only barrister who has swept the streets of the city. On completing his degree, he chose the Middle Temple as his Inn of Court and took part in the traditional ‘ceremony of call to the bar’ where a person is officially admitted to practise law as a barrister. Formal attire of robes and wigs are required. This caused much amusement as Simon showed us his first wig which had needed extensive cleaning and repairs.
It was to take a decade of hard work to become successful mainly because anti-semitism was rife amongst the legal profession.
This was a highly entertaining talk giving a detailed account of, and at times very amusing insight into, the life of a criminal barrister, providing plenty of material for a writer of crime thrillers. We would all be delighted if Simon returned for yet more legal stories.
Competition for the evening was a crime novel. This was won by Jean Alcock, 2nd Jackie Sutton, 3rd Pat Hurdle.
Report by Judy Blamey
Tuesday 14th January 2025
'Health and Wellbeing Emotional Management' - Maureen Fearon
January 14th brought our usual monthly meeting, the first of 2025 and luckily the snow and ice had melted. There was a good turnout and Jean Webb, our President welcomed two new members.
The speaker for the evening was Maureen Fearon, a behavioural and emotional expert with over 30 years’ experience guiding and developing others. For her evening talk we were introduced to EFT, Emotional Freedom Techniques which help individuals increase their confidence, overcome anxieties, stress and much more. During her career she has written a book, “Shoo: The Destructive Demon Within”, as well as appearing on daytime T.V. and radio. Using as an amusing demonstration of chest and body tapping she showed how three volunteers could be encouraged to prevent an urge to eat chocolate! The same experiment was tried on shoulder and back pain with mixed results. The topic certainly encouraged lively discussion during the break for coffee and cake.
The competition for the evening was a crystal and this produced a wonderful array of examples, the winner being Karen Clark with a beautiful crystal found in her garden! A plaque was presented to Beryl Swash having been the most successful competition winner over the past year.
Report by Judy Blamey
