Speakers – Page 2 – Leyburn Ladies' Luncheon Club

AGM and Members’ Day 2024

The Club Members’ Day and AGM was held on May 16th in The Garden Rooms at Tennants. President Denise Houghton welcomed forty members for another excellent lunch. Thanks were given to the chefs and waiting staff at Tennants as well as to the Wobbly Dog Shop and Milner’s of Leyburn for their assistance in collecting lunch cards this year. Our speakers this season have been local, interesting and varied subjects and most have donated their speaker fees to charity. This has meant that the Club has supported some very worthwhile causes. The Committee Team were thanked for their hard work over the past twelve months. At the end of the meeting the new web-based lunch registration was demonstrated.

Following the AGM our President Denise gave a presentation of her working life as a nurse, midwife and health visitor. Denise spoke of her many roles both practicing and academic including Professor of Nursing at The Sick Children’s Hospital in Toronto, Professor of Nursing at ANCC in Washington DC, Health Inspector at the Welsh Assembly, Director of Nursing and Clinical Director Community Services and Director of Nursing North Pennine Acute Trust. Angela Batty gave the vote of thanks for her informative presentation.

Our meetings start again on September 19th with a new programme. Our first speaker is Neil Mechie, Middleham Racehorse Trainer and Vet. New members are always very welcome, as are guests. If you would like more information you can visit our website www.leyburnlunchclub.co.uk or contact the Secretary Gina Roberts at geroberts@btinternet.com.

Jane Graham – Senior Clinical Physiologist

Club President Denise Houghton welcomed forty-five members and eight guests to the meeting on April 18th in The Garden Rooms at Tennants. Included in our guests were the Chairman and Membership Secretary from Richmond Ladies’ Luncheon Club. Denise updated members on the proposed price change for the lunch fee which was agreed by the majority.

Following lunch our speaker Jane Graham, Senior Clinical Physiologist told us about the role Physiologists play in measuring bodily functions in all areas of medicine, providing expert clinical support to medical teams. Her specialism is measuring and tracing heart function and performance and she explained the many issues that can affect the heart. Following her years in practice she conducts advanced procedures and now works as a freelance independent practitioner in the Shetland Isles. Jane gave us a great insight into Shetland as a place to live and work. Lynda Lees gave the vote of thanks for the very interesting presentation.

Our next meeting on May 16th is our Members’ Day and AGM and is the final meeting of the season. If you would like more information about the Luncheon Club you can visit our website www.leyburnlunchclub.co.uk or contact the Secretary Gina Roberts at geroberts@btinternet.com.

Ben Spence – Curlew Dairy

Club President Denise Houghton welcomed forty-six members and seven guests to the meeting on March 21st at The Garden Rooms, Tennants. Denise updated members on the Committee’s progress on the 2024/5 Programme and again welcomed any suggestions for speakers. Carron Kennedy has become a Committee Member.

Following lunch and our “eggstra” special Easter Raffle, Ben Spence gave a presentation on his micro dairy in Wensley. After leaving finance jobs in Manchester, Ben and his wife Samantha moved to Wensleydale looking for a slower pace of life and began making cheese in 2019, initially on Ben’s family farm. They left the farm in 2022 and set up Curlew Dairy with the aim to resurrect traditional cheesemaking in the Dales. Yoredale Wensleydale is now stocked in some of the best independent delis in the UK and this year won a silver award at the World Cheese Awards. Ben concluded with time for the ladies to sample some cheeses and make some purchases. Carron Kennedy gave the vote of thanks for the very enjoyable and informative presentation.

Our next meeting will be on April 18th when our speaker will be Jane Graham, Clinical Physiologist who will tell us about the work of a Cardiologist.

New members are always very welcome, as are guests. You don’t have to live in Leyburn, we welcome ladies from all surrounding areas. If you are interested in trying the Luncheon Club or would like more information you can visit our website www.leyburnlunchclub.co.uk or contact the Secretary Gina Roberts at geroberts@btinternet.com.

Ronnie Tempest – Wayward Wynards

President Denise Houghton welcomed thirty-five members and six guests to the meeting on February 15^th at Tennants Garden Rooms. Denise announced that the committee would soon be compiling the list of guest speakers for next year and that member suggestions would be very welcome.

Following lunch, our guest Ronnie Tempest gave a very lively presentation with a News of the World look at the “Wayward Wynyard’s”. This was an entertaining talk covering the history of the Wynyard Estate and the life and times of the Tempest, Vane and Stewart families and their estates through the ages. Rachel Smith gave the vote of thanks.

The next meeting will be on March 21^st when our speaker will be Ben Spence from Curlew Dairy, who will tell us how their micro dairy in Wensley was born and bring samples of their different cheeses.

Richard Sanderson – Tales from a Funeral Director

The first meeting of 2024 took place on January 18th at Tennants Garden Rooms as usual. President Denise Houghton welcomed forty-two members and two guests to the meeting.

Following lunch, our speaker Richard Sanderson spoke to us about life as a Funeral Director. Richard is a sixth-generation undertaker and the family business goes back to 1860. His presentation was in part a factual description of the undertaking process but also a light-hearted look at what can go wrong during a funeral service. This was an enjoyable, highly informative talk about a sensitive subject, that prompted many questions from the ladies. Judy Metcalfe gave the vote of thanks.

The next meeting is on February 15th when our speaker will be Ronnie Tempest on the subject of “Wayward Wynyard’s”, a tale of the Wynyard Estate and its associated families over the centuries. New members are always very welcome, as are guests. You don’t have to live in Leyburn, we welcome ladies from all surrounding areas. If you are interested in trying the Luncheon Club or would like more information you can visit our website www.leyburnlunchclub.co.uk or contact the Secretary Gina Roberts at geroberts@btinternet.com.

Rodney’s Ukulele Band

President Denise Houghton welcomed forty-four members and one guest to the meeting on December 21st at Tennants Garden Rooms. There were two important matters arising. The drop off day for monthly lunch cards will now be the Saturday preceding the monthly luncheon date and the luncheon fee will increase to £23 with a £20 cancellation charge.

Tennants provided a delicious festive lunch in the beautifully decorated function room and an extended raffle with ten stunning prizes was held. Following lunch, Rodney’s Ukulele Band entertained us with a varied programme including Christmas songs and carols. Denise Houghton gave the vote of thanks.

The next meeting is on January 18th when our speaker will be Richard Sanderson. Richard will speak about his experiences as a funeral director as well as his career in general and his involvement with local sports teams. New members are always very welcome, as are guests. You don’t have to live in Leyburn, we currently have members in Upper Wensleydale, Richmond, Bedale and Northallerton! If you are interested in trying the Luncheon Club or would like more information you can visit our website www.leyburnlunchclub.co.uk or contact the Secretary Gina Roberts at geroberts@btinternet.com.

Richard Cameron – Playwright

President Denise Houghton welcomed forty members and six guests to the meeting on November 16^th at Tennants Garden Rooms.

Following lunch our speaker Richard Cameron, introduced himself as someone who “tells stories for a living”. In his career as a drama teacher in a South Yorkshire secondary school in the 1970’s, Richard starting writing plays for his students as there was nothing relevant that the kids could relate to. Richard’s fundamental principle to writing a good story is knowing the characters and the place intimately, otherwise the story does not come across as authentic. Richard wrote several plays for his students which won National Playwright Awards. After teaching for sixteen years, Richard wrote for theatre, television and radio, and won the Dennis Potter Award in 1997 for his television play “Stone, Scissors, Paper”. Richard has written several critically acclaimed stage plays, including “The Glee Club”, which transferred to the West End. His play “Pond Life” was made into a film in 2018. The vote of thanks was given by Anne Day.

The next meeting is on December 21st when we will be entertained by Rodney’s Ukulele Band. New members are always very welcome, as are guests.

The Gurkha Regiments and the People of Nepal

President Denise Houghton welcomed forty-one members and eight guests to our meeting on October 19^th at Tennants Garden Rooms.

Following lunch our speaker Major Dillikumar Rai MVO RGR presented a video with a history of the Gurkhas and Nepalese people. The Gurkhas as a fighting force are recognised worldwide as brave, loyal, honest and disciplined. Thirteen Victoria Crosses have been awarded to Gurkha Officers.

The recruits undergo grueling selection tests in Nepal to enter the Gurkha Regiments and an Officer serves on average twenty-two years. Only two battalions of Gurkhas remain, one in Brunei and another in South Kent. Their regiments are based all over the UK.

Queen Victoria introduced Gurkha Officers to serve in Royal Palaces and Major Dillikumar Rai personally served to Queen Elizabeth II.

The Gurkha Welfare Trust was established after WW2 to provide financial, medical and development aid to Gurkha veterans and their families. Originally set up by Field Marshal Montgomery, King Charles is Patron and Joanna Lumley DBE Vice-Patron.

The vote of thanks was given by Denise Houghton.

Our next meeting is on November 16^th when our speaker is Richard Cameron, Playwright. New members are always very welcome, as are guests.

Julia Polley – September 2023

President Denise Houghton welcomed 31 members and 9 guests to the first meeting of the season on September 21^st at Tennants Garden Rooms. Denise announced that there was now a full committee appointed and gave a resumé of this year’s speaker programme. She told the group about the Club’s new Facebook page and website and the Secretary Gina Roberts, gave background information on the new media.

After a delicious lunch and time for us all to catch up after the summer break, our speaker Julia Polley, Headmistress of the Wensleydale School and Sixth Form, spoke about the key principles required in the school – positive, respectful, hardworking and successful. She detailed changes that had been made in the school pre and post Covid and stressed that the mental health and wellbeing of the students was very important to the running of the school. Future hopes of academy status and plans for a school Himalayan expedition also featured in a very informative presentation.

The next meeting is on October 19^th when our speaker is a representative from the Gurkha Regiment. New members are always very welcome, as are guests.