May 2025 Issue
Introduction
One of the great attractions, so we are told, of Thursday mornings is that we all get to live in the moment (and what wonderful moments they are) for an hour each week, but from time to time we are all rewarded by recalling the past. At a time when we are hearing stories of VE Day in May 1945 it is worth remembering that we are privileged to have in our midst some whose memories go far beyond ours of 1966, comb-overs, the Test Card, Angel Delight, cuddly toys on the conveyor belt, spacehoppers and David Cassidy.
Someone who can tell us all about VE Day celebrations is one of our regular attendees Hazel, whose 100th birthday we all celebrated recently. We are privileged to be in the company of a number of real characters like this who have seen at first hand so much in their lifetimes and who, as this photo shows, are passing on memories to the next generation. You can see Eddie, Shankley and Harry in this ITV News report.
News from recent Thursday mornings: “Well bless my soul”
Just when we might have thought we had seen everything at DSO we recently were all shaken up. Despite some suspicious minds, we had decided that it was now or never that we should invite Elvis himself. What a morning he served up, as all of the photographs of swooning ladies, gyrating hips and Las Vegas-style entrances illustrate. This review is a humorous account of the experience.
Support and thanks
As Trustees we remain even more committed to the “free” service of DSO. What is central to that philosophy is the continuing support, financial or personal, which has enabled us to thrive even when the cost of living remains a challenge for so many individuals and organisations.
Recent examples of financial donations have been Wollaston Lodge’s £300; Rushden Rotarians, who sponsored Sharnbrook Theatre’s ‘Dracula’ (produced by our very own Keith Hargreaves); £700 raised at a quiz night at Ecton Village Hall; a wedding anniversary party which donated £480; volunteer Lisianne’s £611 half-marathon effort; and Joanne from Pertemps, who donated £500. The generosity is simply overwhelming and humbling.
Of course, sometimes our benefactors put themselves through physical pain and heartache on our behalf. The team from Glenvale Park Care Home, with our very own Mandy, battled galeforce winds and sub-zero temperatures to climb and descend Snowdon in March, raising an amazing £3,649 for DSO.
A reminder of our JustGiving page, which includes the facility to add Gift Aid to your donation.
We continue to commit to believing that our Thursday morning sessions have to be seen in conjunction with other support as part of a social prescribing approach to care. There is absolutely no doubt that Trustees’ continuing attendance at networking support group meetings has cultivated beneficial links with local agencies, groups and organisations.
Reminders
At times, despite our best efforts, we are beset by difficulties with technical matters beyond our control. We’re sure that it is not some foreign super power who has heard about the growing numbers at a noisy gathering in a Northamptonshire location, so we encourage you to persevere and we will double up our efforts to overcome IT gremlins.
Weekly Zoom log-in details
Topic: DSO Virtual Choir
Time: this is a recurring link
Join the Zoom meeting
Meeting ID: 895 5257 3170
Password: DSO
We commend to you our revamped DSO website, and we will continue to provide news updates on our Facebook page.
And finally
On Thursday 19th June we will be hosting the Starlight Sisters, whose musical repertoire covers songs from the 1940s to the 1960s. What is more, we will be having scones and cake!
Cathie, Judith, Kathryn, Baz, Lucy, Ruth, Garry & Steve
21st May 2025
