THE ladies of Simon de Montfort Drive namely: Lynne Behrendt, Siriol Davies, Dorothy Jenkins and Lyn Osborn considered there was a need to supplement local entertainment by organising transport to other venues.
We met at the beginning of January 1991 to discuss the way forward. We decided to call ourselves the Montfort Theatregoers, interest forms covering the proposed activities were distributed around the drive and soon after this a mini-bus took 15 people to the Merry Hill Shopping Centre. It was then arranged to have another mini-bus visit to Worcester to a reception and talk given by Sir Ranulph Fiennes. During this period interest inexplicably snowballed and we were inundated with requests to join the group from a very wide area around Evesham. By mid February there were so many requests we felt it necessary to limit the number to 100 (each members representing a household), making it necessary to establish a waiting list and that too eventually reached 100.
As we were volunteers and would be dealing with other peoples' money it was essential to have a sound administrative base. Lloyds Bank Evesham advised on the financial aspects, Citizens Advice Bureau on the legal and initial expenses met by a loan from the four of us the curtain was well and truly up.
The first two coach trips were to see Chess at the Hippodrome and a concert at the very new Symphony Hall, Birmingham. There followed at least two outings per month, sometimes three and occasionally four, at times with two full coaches. These outings included musicals, TV shows, plays, symphonies, exhibitions and the venues visited were Birmingham, Manchester, Warwick and Oxford to name just a few.
This is the documented record of the curtain rising on the Montfort Theatregoers. In January 2001 due to changing circumstances a new committee was formed with Eric Kinder joining Siriol Davies and Lyn Osborn.
Common interests, friendly and supportive attitudes from all concerned enabled my ten years of involvement with the MTG to be extremely pleasurable.
Our weekly meetings, discussing and organising new ventures were very memorable and great fun, so to Siriol, Lyn O and to the memory of Lynne B - MY THANKS.
DOROTHY JENKINS.
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