Members’ newsletter May 2004 OR SOMEONE WHO IS BLIND and elderly, Christmas can be Fvery difficult. Without sight, reading Christmas cards, putting up the decorations and even buying presents, become real problems. But for a blind person living alone and with their mobility restricted because of age, the biggest problem is isolation and loneliness. 75% of all visually impaired people are aged over 75. In Derbyshire, there is an extraordinary organisation which makes sure that Christmas is not a time when elderly people with little or no sight are left alone. SLAP-UP MEAL Every year, the Derbyshire Association for the Blind arranges a Christmas lunch for over 100 blind and partially sighted people past the first flush of youth. They get the works – a slap-up meal, lots of booze, entertainment, a singsong, a raffle and dancing. WONDERFUL AFTERNOON For one wonderful afternoon, the difficulties of growing old with a visual impairment are forgotten. Lucy Turton (top left) is 86, has very limited sight and lives alone. She says “You forget about everything that afternoon. It is just lovely being with people who understand. It’s one of the best days of the year.” Gail Ashby (top right), a stripling of 46, is totally blind. “You’ve got two choices. You can The 2003 Christmas lunch was paid for by a either sit at home doing nothing or you can grant from The Primary Club. Members are motivate yourself. You only live once.” asked to be as generous as possible with their The DAB Christmas lunch gives Lucy and Gail donation this year. the chance to have a really happy Christmas. Full details of the 2004 grants are on page 8. INSIDE: The New Hon Sec (p3) + Why the Willow Wept and ‘Cometh the Hour’ (p7) PRIMARY CLUB NEWS APRIL 2004 Dinner at Headquarters Three hundred and seventy Most members and guests produced a profit for the four members and their took advantage of the Club of over £17,000. guests sat down to the first generous offer by the MCC There are plans for another ever Primary Club dinner in to visit the Long Room dinner in 2005 – the 50th the Banqueting Suite at before dinner. After dinner, anniversary of the Club. Lord’s on 10 October 2003. three speakers – the patron Greatly to the relief of the Derek Underwood MBE, organisers, the evening was a Mike Brace (Club trustee huge success. and Chairman of the British Paralympic Association) and The antiquities department of the ex-England captain Mike British Museum kindly released two of the three living founder members Brearley OBE – were all on of the Club for the dinner. This top form. Mike Bax picture was taken late in the evening, conducted the auction with so if it looks out of focus it is them great skill and Pauline not you. Left: Keith Patterson, right: Johnston, wife of the late The Hon Sec with Pauline Johnston, Mike Sheeres. who drew the raffle, and Alan Guild, Brian Johnston, drew the one of the team of 6 volunteers who raffle. helped the evening run smoothly. Resignation An entertaining and, at Old friends and colleagues – Mike Brearley and Derek Underwood. times, very funny evening Brian Cooney, representing New Post the Royal London Society for the Blind, has resigned as Peter Matthews, “a Glou- a trustee. Golden Duck Award cestershire man through and Until the mid 1980s, the through”, has become the Club donated all its funds to A vicar from Bury, Lanca- achieve a good discount on Club’s first Head of Fund- the RLSB, so it was appro- shire, has ‘triumphed’ in the weddings and christenings. raising. priate that they should be inaugural Golden Duck Write to The Wisden Peter, aged 39, who is a represented on the board of Award. Cricketer if anyone in your partner in the accountancy trustees. The Primary Club has team achieves a noteworthy firm Ernst and Young, lives However, since then there joined forces with The primary in 2004. They with his wife Jeannie and has been a huge increase in Wisden Cricketer and the could win their club a their three young daughters the size and number of Professional Cricketers’ coaching session with the near Cirencester. grants made by the Club. Association to launch the nearest county side. He broadcasts on BBC We now work with over 40 competition. To enter, clubs local radio on football and clubs and schools for the nominated a player who had LEGACIES cricket and has written two blind throughout the UK, suffered a noteworthy If you are planning to move on to books on football. His next which reflects our member- primary during the season. the Great Pavilion In The Sky, book, on ship. The before you go please make sure Glouces- As The Primary Club the Club is mentioned in your Reverend tershire hopes to continue the long will. Hugh Bearn cricket, is and happy association with due out (left) achieved BANK STANDING ORDERS the Kent charity, the RLSB his primary If you make a donation by Bank next year. felt that they should resign on his debut Standing Order, please think about to avoid any possible for the Man- increasing the amount this year. conflict of interest. chester Diocesan Cricket Brian Cooney and his Club in the opening match predecessors have contribut- of the season against Primary of the Month ed much to the Club. We Chester Diocese. are grateful to them all. By winning the Award, Six of the leading batsmen in the country achieved The Rev Bearn has won a the Primary of the Month award in 2003 and became EMAIL honorary members of the Club. They are:- day at Old Trafford for his ADDRESSES team, watching Lancashire Jamie Cox (Somerset), Nasser Hussain (Essex), play. During the day, the Robert Key (Kent), Craig White (Yorks), Ed Smith On the Donation and PCA has arranged for the (Kent) and Ian Blackwell (Somerset). Order Form this year Manchester Diocesan team The ‘winners’ are chosen by the Professional there is a space for your Cricketers’ Association and announced each month to have a two-hour coaching email address. Please fill during the cricket season in The Wisden Cricketer. session with members of the it in, even if you donate county side. In return, the Stuart Cox at P A Sport supplies the statistics. by Bank Standing Order. Lancashire team should The Club is grateful to all of them. - 2 - APRIL 2004 PRIMARY CLUB NEWS The New Hon Sec bowler with a taste for Chris plays bridge as Aclaret has become the seriously as he used to play fifth Honorary Secretary of cricket. However, his The Primary Club. competitive edge is mitigated Chris Larlham is a by a gently self-mocking remarkable man. Problems humour. “I am captain of in the family business meant the county team but, as one he had to leave Dulwich of my friends rather un- College at the age of 16. By kindly put it, that’s just Primary Club Trustees because I had a big car and a the age of 40, he was Left to right clockwise: Mike Brace, Andrew Dixon, Tony Bentall, Warwick managing partner at word processor – nothing to Armstrong, Robert Fleming, Tonie Thomas, Chris Larlham, Mike Sheeres, Cameron Markby Hewitt do with my bridge skills.” Marion Fleming. Absent: Mike Thomas. (now Cameron McKenna), one of the biggest firms of WINE “From the Desk of the Chairman” City solicitors. He retired six Another great love in his life years ago at the age of 48. is wine. He has accumulated etiring as Honorary done well at an event a substantial cellar, mostly RSecretary and becoming sponsored by the Club, is ENOUGH French, with a bias towards Chairman of The Primary unforgettable. “I had frankly had enough. Bordeaux. This is one area Club means that I can fulfil a In Chris Larlham we have I had spent 32 years of my where he differs from his lifetime’s ambition – to issue found an ideal Hon Sec. He life working and I was predecessor as Honorary a stream of pompous memos will, in effect, be the chief financially secure. Practising Secretary, a determined ‘From the desk of the executive. As Chairman, I law in the City was great fun Burgundian. Chairman.’ hope to coordinate groups of when I started. It was So why The Primary My wife Marion and I members working on press anything but when I fin- Club? “It is a very worth- have greatly enjoyed running and public relations, spon- ished.” while job. It is a club which The Primary Club for the sorship, membership Chris and his wife Cecily, does an awful lot of good past seven years. Without recruitment and fundraising who is a lawyer and a garden and I’ve got time on my Marion it would not have events. designer, have one son. hands. I think I’ve got the been possible. Chris played most of his necessary qualifications. There is so much that we STRUCTURE cricket for the Old Time will tell if I’m any shall miss; Margaret Palmer With a proper structure for Alleynians (Dulwich Old good at it.” and ‘Pig’, a china beast who the Club, we should be able Boys), Bishop’s Stortford In Chris Larlham The produces £40 or so when- to support blind sports men, and Incogniti. Primary Club has found a ever his cork is removed; women and children better He has now relegated his pair of safe hands to lead it C.L.A.W. (Cricket Lovers At than we are at present.