This article is an extract of a booklet authored by Margaret Curtis and published by the Lambourn Friendship Club in 2020.
In the late 1990s a decision was made to refurbish the Schoolroom at the rear of the Methodist Church. A toilet block was added at the side of the Hall. Previously the only toilet was a small room at the opposite side of the carpark. I used to call it the ”Little House on the Prairie”.
When the refurbishment was completed, Rev Colin Scarrett, our minister, decided that as well as using it for our activities because we had such lovely premises it would be good to share them with the community. West Berks Social Services were contacted and they provided a list of needs. We first chose to have a Parent and Toddler group.
We also heard about a group who were meeting in Burghfield called the Friendship Club and arranged a visit to see what the Club was about. This group was started by Carolyn Bramhall and helpers in response to a need. There was a large group of people who had had a long spell in Fairmile, the local psychiatric hospital, and were finding it difficult to get out of their homes. Other folks who were on their own also came along.
We decided that we would start a club here in Lambourn and we started in January 2000. Colin wanted to involve St Michael’s and Val Osmond joined me in starting the Club. We only had a few folks coming along for quite a while so we wondered if that was what God wanted us to do. We planned a committee meeting to see if we should close. During the meeting Colin mentioned that the lady in Hungerford who ran the jigsaw library at the Methodist Church was wanting to get rid of the puzzles. We decided that we would take them over and started a jigsaw library here. Folks came along, borrowed a jigsaw, then were invited to stay for a cup of tea and a chat. Eventually they didn’t bother to take a jigsaw but stayed for the afternoon. We did reach the stage when we wondered if we would have to limit the numbers!
We then started to have three programmes a year—Autumn, Spring and Summer – with a variety of quizzes, craft afternoons, talks and occasional outings. One of the talks was by Roger Fenton about Samaritan’s Purse Shoe Box appeal. This appealed to our group, many of whom had grandchildren of their own and we decided that we would like to take part. From then on for many years a large part of our Autumn programme was taken up with this project. At first we covered the boxes ourselves but it became quite expensive and time consuming so we found flat pack red boxes and used them. Eventually Samaritan’s Purse produced their own boxes. We appealed to the other churches, the school and the general community and eventually we were collecting 350 or more boxes to send every year. We also took on checking the boxes.
SHOE BOX POEM
Empty boxes, scissors, glue,
Paper bright in every hue.
Cutting, glueing, covering boxes,
Chatter whilst we do our tasks.
Help from friends both old and young
Finding bargains in the sales.
Knitting hats and sewing bags.
Sorting, counting pens and pencils,
flannels, toothpaste,
hats and mittens,
bags and toys and pretty ribbons,
cars and dolls and bouncy balls.
Then the fun of filling boxes
Filling boxes to the brim
with our love as well as presents
to the many girls and boys.
Girls and boys who have no presents
often have no proper home
living in disastrous hovels
Owning nothing of their own.
Here’s the lorry with the boxes
sent with love from far way,
Boxes bright with Christmas paper,
come to them to cheer their day.
See the faces full of joy
Peeping into their own box
Finding there such different treasures
Greeting them with shouts of joy.
Or in silence see the gifts.
Thinking… is this all for me?
Children trying on hats and mittens
Playing with their new found toys,
Owning boxes for their treasures.
So we pray our “Love in boxes”
sent to children overseas
will bring happiness and pleasure
and a taste of Christmas joy.
During this time we enjoyed making wall hangings. These gradually improved as we embraced new technology. Our first efforts were rather crude. We had a lovely mentor who complained that our scissors were not sharp enough so we invested in some small sharp scissors – still labelled “Methodist” scissors.
Rev Irena Byron became our Minister when Colin retired.
She came over to see us and often brought her little granddaughter. Everyone loved her and, although I was frequently accused of setting her up to mischief, and before she would leave she went around and gave everyone a hug. When Irena left we made a fabric panel to thank her for her support.
Whilst we were meeting there were three other Friendship Clubs in West Berkshire run by two paid staff – the original one in Burghfield, the second in Thatcham in a hired room at the Methodist Church and the third in Greenham in the rooms at the back of St Mary’s Church. They also had a minibus in which they used to collect members. Jim was the driver and we were able to have use of the minibus sometimes.
Outings when we all met up together would take place to the seaside and also on one memorable occasion a trip on the London Eye one evening.
Another of our memorable afternoons was when our local shepherdess brought some lambs down to the hall for us. A floor covering was put down and a pen put up. We had the joy of feeding these little treasures.
Life went along but one day it was suggested that the three Churches could put an entry in the Carnival so from then on we were occupied for several weeks in the summer, busy preparing for the Carnival. Two retired Home Economics teachers (Tessa Rushforth and me) always amazed folks with our treasure chest of fabrics and trimmings. The first year we used a trailer up at Maddle Farm and produced the Vicar of Dibley. This was a huge task so the next year we downsized considerably. There was a comment in Village Views magazine saying how great it was to see the Churches taking part.
Other years we did Three Weddings and a Funeral and Songs of Praise.
In the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year we did a float showing the queen as a young woman and Nancy (Walsh) as the Queen and me as Lady-in-Waiting (I know my place!!) We were in a “royal” car. The assembly field was next to the Equine Hospital so we drove down to the Square and turned left. As we drove into the Square a little boy said, “Quick everybody, clap – here comes the Queen.” I still call Nancy “Your Maj” when I ring her!
We did an entry in 2014 to remind ourselves of the sacrifice of the many men who lost their lives in that terrible war. We set up the entry on our front drive and had in the trailer a mock-up of a gun that could have looked quite threatening.
I have often been accused of being a slave driver – cutting out poppies and leaves, making bunting, finishing with making many metres of bunting for the amazing Lambourn Holiday at Home in 2019 organised by Karen Frost and her team.
When the Methodist Chapel building had to close we wondered where we could go and found that the Legion was available and had storage space. We have had many happy hours here doing quizzes, having speakers, playing Scrabble and Dominoes. I sometimes stood back and listened to the happy buzz of conversation and laughter.
We have had many happy hours in Val’s lovely garden as well as enjoying her many talks about the wildlife we can find around us here.
Pauline Spence has kindly invited us to have afternoon tea in her lovely home high on the Downs.
Here is our much loved friend, Nigel. He was the king pin of the Friendship Club really. He set up the room for us, made cups of tea or coffee every time, washed up afterwards and then tidied the room. Always so cheerfully, though on one occasion when we were setting up for a special occasion, I did say, “no, no Nigel, not like that” and he, poor soul said, “I am the only one you grumble at.” I did feel bad. But on another occasion he did say, “I look on you as my Mother now, here in Lambourn.” How humbling!
Without him life would have been much harder.
Many, many very happy memories to reflect on in the future. Thank you all for your love and support.
It is good that Keith Mintern is planning to start again very soon.
God bless you all.
With love,
Margaret
Margaret Curtis
Founder and Leader of Lambourn Friendship Club
A Friendship Club, what is it?
A weekly meeting for those who need good, old-fashioned friendship. Focusing on those who struggle with mental health problems, loneliness, depression, feel socially outcast, on the fringe of society. We create a warm and accepting community. Based on Christ’s teaching of non-judgemental acceptance we love freely and in doing teach others to do the same. We make it plain, but not offensively so, that we are questions and know his lordship in our lives. We offer opportunities to receive teaching and fellowship both amongst ourselves and in the churches we are part of. Personal and private prayer is offered to those who have a particular problem with health, family, finances etc.
The three foundations.
- Every individual is precious and of great worth
Whoever you are and wherever you come from you are unique, important and very valuable. - We can do together what we cannot do alone
There is fun and fulfillment in trying things with others and sharing our courage – we need each other. - Life really can be good
Things may seem bleak today but there is so much life to experience, love and enjoy – There will always be a better time ahead.
The helpers tasks
- Uphold the three foundations,
- everyone equal,
- tap into their strengths,
- create a safe place,
- provide stimulation,
- support in risk-taking,
- regular training and supervision,
- each helper to give pastoral support for 2 to 3 members,
- volunteers not to stand out, but be one of the crowd.
Thank you to all who loaned photographs so that Lambourn Friendship Club’s story could be written and recorded. Some photographs were scans/photocopies of originals, hence the print quality is not as good as we would like it!
Thank you to Andrew Snowdon for permission to use his photograph of Lambourn Methodist Church.
