FRIDAY 18th JUNE -COFFEE MORNING
Dock Cottage between 10am and 12am
We opened up the cottage on Friday 4th June for coffee and cakes. This had been announced in the last newsletter and confirmed on the website and was done following requests from members to open up. For those of us who attended it was very nice to sit in the sunshine and enjoy being there. Geoff Francis supplied a banana and chocolate cake and was star baker.
It was disappointing that more of our members were not present. Nevertheless, we decided that we would hold a further coffee morning on Friday 18th June. This time, hopefully, members could maybe look at our web-page.
It will have to be outside with everyone being served where they sit, socially spaced, by a Peggy or a couple. It won’t be easy, but with so many people desperate to do it, we’ll give it a try. It will be subject to the weather and only one person at a time allowed in the cottage and using hand jell.
Stay well and safe until then.
Message from the Chairman
Well friends, it has been thirteen months since we held our last Branch meeting in March last year. I remember at the time calling it the COVID meeting; how true that turned out to be.
Now most of us have had our first jabs, and some their second, there is some degree of hope that life could return to some semblance of normality – whatever the new normal proves to be.
In the first instance, when we are allowed, the Committee will be called together to discuss our future as a Branch and our obligations as a small charity. At that time, and I am being optimistic, we would hope to be in a position to reintroduce our regular Branch meetings and, of course, our long overdue AGM. Obviously, the reopening of Whitchurch RBL will be a major factor in any future planning.
The Dock Cottage has had regular visits from Gayner, Ted and other members of the Committee to make sure all is in order. I know that members love to come to the cottage for informal get togethers, especially for the coffee mornings, so as soon as the rules allow we will hold them again.
The loss of Philip has been a cruel blow to us all but, I am sure if there is a supreme entity, Philip’s presence will not desert us. He was truly a man for all seasons.
We will watch closely the progress of recovery promised by the vaccines roll out but, in the meantime, please continue to follow the basic safety rules and stay in touch with your fellow members.
Until we meet again.
Kind regards to you all
Doug May.
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My late father was in the merchant navy from 1935 until the mid 1950s and I have found a great deal of records for him, one thing I can’t find is any record of him at the Portishead nautical school I have visited the museum in Bristol but nothing. His name was John Thomas Churchill always known as Jack from Weston super mare. The other question is I think that his father Carl Claude Churchill might have been in the merchant navy sometime after leaving the Royal navy in 1906 but I can’t find any records for this time, if anyone can offer some advice on this it would be much appreciated. Best regards Rob Churchill.