PAUL & THE PENSIONERS

22 NOVEMBER 2011

Afternoon tea with the pensioners

Contact with a former clarion member from the sixties led to an invite for Paul to meet the pensioners group at the church hall on Highfield road Farnworth with a talk on the Barcelona to Bolton charity ride.

Kath Adshead and her husband Barry have for many years been involved in social and community work in that area, Barry used to run the local Amateur Dramatics Group. Kath was also a clarion member in the early sixties so there was a cycling connection to begin with.

Ian Tipping has been preoccupied of late so he could not be there so with me being the intermediary with the clarion connection I accompanied Paul in his venture into lecturing.

Having been given instructions and time, venue, date etc, Paul and I succeeded in getting lost, fortunately knowing where Kath lived we were able to find our way there.

We entered the church with our bikes and into the small meeting room where we were welcomed warmly, among those present was a Lancashire road veteran member, and later a childhood friend from many many years ago, we lived in back to back council houses at New Bury. This was a special surprise for me.

After an introductory hymn, I introduced Paul along with some background information on him, to highlight the adventurous lifestyle that eventually lead to the Barcelona to Bolton charity ride.

Paul did his talk to a very interested group and took many questions in his stride, all this without any illustrations other than words. The talk was enjoyed so much that a donation followed adding £44.00. to the help for heroes charity collection Ian and Paul have so far raised.

Although a little different to our usual venue and audience, a splendid outcome was achieved, and little wave of the flag for Bolton clarion cycling club.

Report by Tony Bowles