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Thursday 23rd February 2023 – Club’s Annual General Meeting
Copies of the minutes and reports may be found via our secure Members Page.
Thursday 23rd February 2023 – Club Meeting – Speaker, Mr Rob Mason to give his presentation entitled ‘Comedy Folksongs’.
Rob explained his introduction to folk singing in his youth and performed humorous songs together with audience participation. Memories from his Lancashire childhood included how to light a fire and draw the flames, the tin bath in front of the fire, the horse and cart milk delivery, the ice forming on the inside of bedroom windows and the different games boys and girls played.
Friday 17th February 2023 – Funeral of Derek Empsom MBE
Derek who had sadly died on the 27th January 2023 at the age of 91. Derek attended Tonbridge School, Kent and excelled both academically and at sport before joining the RAF at the age of 18. Starting as a navigator on long range maritime patrols Derek became squadron leader and helped organise transport during the Falklands war. A 4-year stint at BAE before entering a third career producing planning software and writing research papers. Derek was president of the Knutsford branch of the Royal British Legion and was awarded an MBE. Derek became a member of Rex in September 1998. Derek was admitted to hospital at the start of January but slowly declined and catching Covid proved to be the last straw. A valued member who led a very full life. RIP.
Thursday 16th February 2023 – Walk – Dunham Village Area
A short stop for a brew beneath the canal aquaduct.
The walkers met at the Axe and Cleaver in Dunham village, a delightful pub in many ways: it has ample parking even though a large group of walkers from Marple arrived there just before our group. It is also very well situated for a walk into Dunham Massey, and most importantly, it serves very decent food at a good price.
Departing via a series of footpaths, via the bottom of Dunham golf club and to the northern entrance of Dunham Massey, over the set of wooden steps to the top of the main avenue. Divirging from the avenue slightly to a path that ran alongside so that everyone could benefit from the wonderful vista of the main house from the eastern obelisk. There the group stopped to be briefed by Roy Conchie on the history of the house and the obelisks. Then proceeding over the River Bollin to walk past the Swan with Two Nicks pub, breaking for tea/coffee under the Bridgewater canal; yes, the canal at that point formed an aqueduct over the path. In addition to the main walk those that preferred a shorter walk were given the option to split off going back along the towpath, but most of proceeded on a circular loop to rejoin the canal further north, where a view of the eastern obelisk hidden in the trees, now cut off from the main Dunham estate due to the construction of the canal. From there, it was a further mile to the road that was the exit point, and a short stroll back to the pub. The service at the pub was excellent, especially considering that they were full and had turned a couple who hadn’t booked, away. Good beer, good company, and good, keenly priced food made for a most enjoyable day. Thank you to Roy Conchie for organizing a very successful outing.
Monday 13th February 2023 – Social – Concert at the Bridgewater Hall
Members, Wives and Widows made an inaugural visit by Coach to The Bridgewater Hall in Manchester to see and hear an amazing evening in the Hall’s International Concert Series – the visit by The Armenian State Symphony Orchestra playing pieces by their national composer, Khachaturian, in the first half of the evening, followed by Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 in the second half.
This Orchestra is relatively new, having been formed by its remarkable young Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, Sergey Smbatyan, who brings a dramatic, richly-lush and passionate quality to their performances. The Orchestra has developed a keenly-anticipated international reputation at leading concert halls around the world, including Vienna, Berlin, London, Prague, Moscow, New York, and now Manchester, in a short period of time.
The audience was not disappointed! The music, much of which we thought we knew, erupted to an extraordinary degree, bringing a new dimension and sound to the evening. The players must have been exhausted by the end of their two hour programme!
Thanks go to Richard Cussons, who has been thinking about establishing Music as a new Section of our Club activities, and who identified this particular night out as a fitting inaugural event.
Friday 10th February 2023 – Social – High Tea at Knutsford Golf Club
A very respectable gathering.
Twenty five Rex members, partners and widows met at the Knutsford Golf Club to enjoy a very sociable high tea. They were provided with sandwiches, scones and cakes complimented by Prosecco. A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.
Thursday 9th February 2023 – Club Meeting – Speaker, Mr Leslie Murphy, who gave a talk entitled ‘This Disunited Kingdom’.
Leslie gave an account of his career as a sales/marketing executive where he spent many hours on the road and in hotels. During this time he developed an interest in politics listening to the radio and had the idea to write a fictional novel on the future of the UK. The title of the book being “This Disunited Kingdom” written under his pen name Leslie J Nicholls. Leslie explained how he put the book together, how much of the storyline had actually now happened, the process of finding a publisher and the many pitfalls of marketing in a very competitive environment.
2nd February 2023 – Walk – Brereton
Leader Jim Flett showing the way.
The Walking Group met at The Bear, Brereton Green and set off on a route that took them past Brereton Hall. Continuing in a gentle sort of meandering loop they completed the almost 5 mile walk mostly on the flat and without a stile in sight. On return to the Bear the walkers were met by other club members to participate in a well anticipated lunch.