Song And Good Cheer At Day Centre Party

AROUND sixty members of the Thame and District Day Centre were treated to a very special Christmas party on Wednesday (19/12), at the prestigous Oxfordshire Gold Club.
Having been brought to the Oxfordshire by a dedicated army of volunteer drivers, the guests were greeted with a glass of Bucks Fizz, before taking their seats to enjoy a splendid festive meal – once Christmas crackers and party poppers had been fired off in true party fashion.
Many members had dressed for the occassion, including Doug McKenzie who attracted a lot of attention with his sparkly red waistcoat and flashing Christmas hat, and his mate, Chris Deasy sporting an eye-catching red bow tie.
Among the guests were 99 year-old Mabel Makepeace who was being looked after by the Centre’s Treasurer, Jim Barrett. Plenty of chat and reminiscing fuelled the jolly atmosphere from every table, as each guest shared their own story. Among them was Barbara Clayson, whose claim to fame was that she once shook the hand of Winston Churchill who visited the tank factory in Luton where she worked as an eighteen year-old during the war. Barbara’s story of the event, entitled “My Proudest Day,” was chosen by Three Counties Radio to be published on its website recently.
Although in the Autumn of their years, so many of the guests have had facinating and full lives and it is at occassions like this, when so much local, social history comes together, that those of us yet to reach that stage in our own lives, are reminded of just how much we owe the older members of our community, and how much regard we should hold them in.

Brenda Prosser, the Chair of the Thame & District Day Centre, thanked Gillian Coleman, the centre’s manager and her team quoting: “Love to a child is spelt T I M E; That is what our volunteers give. That word says it all.”

The afternoon’s entertainment was provided by the amazing unaccompanied, harmony singing group, Just A Capella, who sang old favourites such as Misty and Blue Moon, and a couple of Christmas songs to bring the afternoon to a very happy conclusion.

Following volunteer driver, Norman Brand’s comment: “This year’s party has been the best yet – such a wonderful atmosphere,” the Day Centre’s able and resourceful management are going to have to to excel themselves to top this Christmas Lunch – nobody who has met them and seen them in action can doubt that they will.