Another Good Club Night - March 2007

For the first time ever I was late arriving partly due to work, a dash of disorganisation and a tablespoonful of traffic jambs. I was still there before the start but not early enough to help set up the hall, although that's not a bad thing because as I walked in there where a number of members doing things they wouldn't normally do. So my first port of call was the kitchen and with the water already on I set out to get myself ready for the off, I have things to say to the gathered crowd later and with this weekend being open to the public a number of things to sort.

The hall filled quickly and the number of open weekend questions I answered grew, not that I minded as it was very encouraging that so many came to me as apposed to me keep asking, having said that I had more questions asking why isn't there any tea/coffee? The milk was late and I forgot to bring a small amount to tide us over but it came in time to quench the thirst of many before Don called for silence.

Don did the announcements and passed over to me, this time I went to the front all official like and did my thing only lightly mentioning the open weekend, you would think that with only three days to go we would be in a rush and panic, not a bit of it, the reason being is that the members have now got so involved this event pretty much runs itself all but meeting times and a little nudge once in a while.

With that done it was back to Don to introduce our demonstrator for the night Jenny Starbuck. She told us how she started turning and how it evolved into what she likes to turn now. Colour, beads and metal etc play a big part in the finished projects. A good number of items were passed around and a good few questions answered. It was a subject with a lot of detail and perhaps it will encourage members to try something new.

Just before the interval there where some immediate changes needed to the lathe so I stepped up and explained how one of the service users at PDS craft had hand stitched in a 23" x 33" wooden frame the words FOREST OF BERE WOODTURNERS with a tree in the centre, there is a story attached to this which is very moving but that's for another time.

With the demonstration over Don thanked Jenny and the audience applauded, with a couple more things announced including the competition results Don passed over to Trevor for the raffle and do you know I can't remember if I won anything! Steve and I set to rebuilding the kitchen, and the members put the lathe, chairs, tables etc away and in a flash it was done, as usual there was the last minute things to chat about and the lights went out and the doors locked, and there goes another good club night.

Boots- March 2007