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S kAL INTERNATIONAL PENDLE    No.565.

International Association of Travel and Tourism Professionals

Founded 1934

 

       PRESIDENT                                                      SECRETARY                                                                   TREASURER

Michael Churnside                                                                  Doreen Rawstron                                                                   Susan Mortimer

 

 

MARCH NEWSLETTER 2010

 

    

The question to answer in the opening paragraph of this newsletter is ‘Did they know we were coming?’  Having established that our venue Sycamore Farm Inn could accommodate a large group I was informed that Monday evenings were always quiet and that there would be several large alcoves that could take such a select group as ours.   Arriving 30 minutes before the due time I noticed that the car park was busy and on entering I discovered that this ‘quiet’ evening was not quiet but full of people eating and drinking.   A few members of our group were found already grouped around a table in front of the bar – well, where else would you expect to find them?   The manager, however, very efficiently located a suitable area for us and quickly reserved our tables so we could linger at the bar and await the remainder of our group.

Our treasurer Susan Mortimer had arrived back from her adventures in New Zealand, Australia, Honolulu and San Francisco having endured an aborted landing, a lift that got stuck and a threatened tsunami but thankfully had not experienced an earthquake in San Francisco.   We now await her report and photographs on the website when perhaps more adventures will be revealed.

A welcome visitor making a return visit to our meeting was Brenda Storey who brought along her son Jonathan.   Now that she has found nearby accommodation on the outskirts of the Pendle area we are hoping that we will see more of her.   The trouble is that after Canada she has not got to grips with our roundabouts but with practice – and there is plenty to be had in this area – she will soon be au-fait with their intricacies.

Nobody could grumble at the carvery that was available for us and many a plate overflowing with meat and vegetables were carried carefully back to our tables but the sweets – well there hangs another tale.  I think it is the first time that I have seen one of our male guests struggling to eat the last morsel of his meal but not to be thwarted, the carrot cake was finally finished off.   Mind you, he was not alone as two female Skalleagues – names not mentioned – also took on those gargantuan sweets and left empty plates!

 

 

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Many senior moments, by yours truly, have resulted in Andrew Knowle’s certificate of Skal membership remaining in her study instead of being presented to him but this was rectified at our meeting when President Michael finally officially welcomed him as a member.  Andrew, however, has not needed a certificate, to know that he become a well known and valuable member of Pendle Skal club.    

Our next meeting on April 12th will be different from the norm when we assemble at Pendle Hippodrome, Colne at 7 for 7.30 p.m. for a tour behind the scenes.   There will be the opportunity to look at the sound and lighting department, the dressing rooms, wardrobe and prop department and for those who are not too worried about heights a climb up into the fly gallery above the stage.   Those of us who have aspirations to be thespians can perhaps give us a Shakespearean monologue from the stage?

The cost of the evening is £6 for Skalleagues and £6.50 for guests and this includes a drink at the bar when we arrive, a tour followed by a pie and peas supper.   There is a choice of either meat pie, meat and potato pie or cheese and onion and I will need to have your requirements no later than Thursday, 8th April as the theatre has to be notified.

Directions to the venue can be downloaded from the website but if you head for Colne town centre the theatre is easily located. 

 

FUTURE MEETINGS

 

Monday, 9th May                   Visit to Earby Lead Mines Museum, Earby

 

     Also on the National website, which can be accessed through ours, are application forms for the 200 club.   Maurice Steer has taken on the task of persuading or coercing members to join this club and to date, we in Pendle have been slow off the mark.  Last year we purchased 16 shares in total and you can’t say that we haven’t been lucky in the past so download the form and send it either to Maurice or Peter Steen, the latter might be better as Maurice is away on holiday for a fortnight from the first week in April.   For those who are on snail mail an application form is included in the mailing.  

Thank you to those members who brought along raffle prizes at our last meeting but the box in my garage has still empty spaces and it if you have thoughts about purchasing a bottle of wine for our raffle it might be advisable to buy your bottle of ‘plonk’ before Mr. Darling’s tax is added to it.  

In conclusion, a question for you to ‘mull over’ before our meeting in Colne.   Apart from jam and fly fishing what Hartley was born in this East Lancashire town?   No prizes for the answers but President Michael looks forward to meeting up with you in April when we ‘tread the boards’ at Pendle Hippodrome.

 

Yours in Skal,

 

Doreen A. Rawstron

Newsletter Editor