November 2020 Ormskirk and Southport District Incorporating the Isle of Mona Ormskirk Market Southport Queen Laxey Wheel, Isle of Man Victoria Statue welcomeOrmskirk and Southport District Welcome to the latest edition of the Ormskirk and Southport Contact Details Newsletter, incorporating the Secretary: Bonita Hesketh Isle of Mona. Address: 1 Royal Oak Cottages, Hello everyone. I hope you are keeping Liverpool Road, Bickerstaffe, well and are not crawling the walls. Ormskirk, Lancashire L39 0EF Thank you for your patience during Telephone and Fax: these difficult times. I sometimes feel 01695 424149 like I’m losing mine, especially when the Mobile: 077536 32433 rules change quickly and we have to Email: cancel events that people are looking [email protected] forward to. I seem to range from being wildly positive to being in the depths Social Organiser/Care & Welfare of despair but I know things will get Co-Ordinator: Judith Catton better, I just don’t know when. We’ve Address: 4 Falkland Road, been working on some online events, Southport PR8 6LG which are good fun but I know not for everybody, but if you fancy having a Telephone: 01704 545279 go, just drop me a line (Judith on 01704 Email: 545279) and I’ll do my best to help you. [email protected] We’d particularly love it if members For details regarding the Isle from the Isle of Man wanted to join in, of Mona, please contact Bonita especially as you seem to be almost Hesketh on 01695 424149 back to normal with very few cases on the Island. Christmas Closure The District Office (Bonita) is closed from Monday 21 December to Monday 4 January 2021. Emergencies only. 2 Welcome to the world! Ormskirk and Southport Member of us. Also, congratulations to Phil Ashleigh McDonough (Edna and Christine Taylor on the birth Palmer’s granddaughter) and of their new granddaughter. Kelly her partner Danny welcomed and Ben welcomed their first child, new baby Nancy Grace on Friday Imogen Alicia Taylor-Ward, born on 25 September, weighing 7lb3oz. Wednesday 2 September at Nobles Congratulations to you all from all Hospital, Douglas, on the Isle of Man. Nancy Grace Imogen Alicia Traditional Terms Explained Grand Master (GM): Chairman Immediate Past Provincial Grand Master (IPPGM): Provincial Grand Master Immediate Past District Chairman (Prov GM): District Chairman Past Provincial Grand Master Provincial Deputy Grand Master (PPGM): Past District Chairman (Prov DGM): District Deputy Chairman Lodge: Branch Provincial Corresponding Brother and Sister: Traditional term Secretary (Prov CS): used in Unions, Guilds and Fraternal District Secretary - responsible for organisations to suggest mutual administering Branches support and family 3 Old time radio (sort of) Brother Phil Taylor Way back in the mid-1970s on one evening I happened to be in a friend’s house whose brother happened to be listening to his radio. He was listening to a short wave band radio and tuning into the International Broadcast bands. All English speaking programmes which were destined for English listeners around the world. A bit like the BBC World service but from other countries! I was very impressed. When I got home I had a look at the radio that we had, but disappointingly there was No Valves here, but it keeps me no short wave band! But eager to have a go out of mischief! at this I found an old army surplus radio in a second hand shop which the owner challenge them that I can send and receive assured me had short wave on it... it did Morse code faster than they can send a text that’s how it all started for me. I very soon message on their phones, 27/30 words a heard the ‘Radio Hams’ dotted around minute without a pencil! the short waves and I decided that was the hobby for me. I studied for the Amateur I have many hundreds of QSL cards from Radio licence at Riversdale College in all over the world; they are cards showing Liverpool for a year (one night a week) their towns and cities a bit like a postcard. and eventually learned the Morse code I have passed messages via my radio for which was part of the requirement for the people who have lost touch with their licence at that time, and the rest is history. families out in the Pacific islands; volcanic islands; Falkland Islands etc, even spoken Now 45 years later I still enjoy my hobby. to a friend of mine who I am proud to say I still listen to all kinds of stuff around the was King Hussein of Jordan, his radio call short waves and of course I have spoken was JY1. He always called me, “My friend to, and made friends with many thousands Phil” and I still have the ‘Postcard’ from of individuals all around the world. I still our first chat! use and enjoy Morse code as well, it’s a bit dated now but I have surprised many Larry Hagman was a radio enthusiast. military boys at various shows when they He played JR in the old Dallas series and are talking to the public and showing we kept in touch for a long time. He was them all their communications gear, and I 4 always threatening to come and visit me classes. You start with a foundation licence when I was living on the Isle of Man. first and you don’t have to learn Morse code anymore and work your way up into the I have chatted with many celebs over Technical class ‘A’ licence like I have. You are the years who have been Hams, Marlon never short of a chat with someone. And yes Brando, Senator Barry Goldwater, Helen there are indeed many Oddfellows in other Sharman who was a shuttle Astronaut, to countries who are radio hams and you can name but a few! I remember talking to a find many of them in clubs and societies if German Radio ham who lived in the town you do an internet search. where the Dam Busters blew up the dam! He went off on a tangent and was quite But even in this modern day, a world of irate and called them the ‘bloody RAF!’ I transistors and hi-fi, iPads and PCs there was lost for a polite reply! is nothing like a real radio with valves that glow in the dark and that whistle when Getting into Amateur radio nowadays is a lot you tune around the short wave band. easier as it is spread out into different licence Zoom Events You can access Zoom via a PC; laptop; tablet or mobile phone. Contact Judith on [email protected] for access codes to the following: There are various Oddfellows’ Zoom Games Night Events happening all the time hosted by (bring a pack of cards) all different Districts up and down the Thursday 3 December at 7.30pm country: Talks; Coffee Mornings; Quizzes; Games Nights etc. You are welcome to join Christmas CoronaClub Coffee in any of these free events. Just keep an eye (Irish if you like!) on our Facebook page, or the Oddfellows’ Wednesday 16 December at 10.30am website for details. 5 Friendship Month - September 2020 Well, we managed four out of our seven planned events before local restrictions curtailed the last three. It was lovely to see members in Formby, Ormskirk, Churchtown and Southport. The weather was mostly kind and we had a few laughs and enjoyed being outside before the Autumn weather really set in. Good News 2020 Bee Populations are thriving in the UK as human lifestyle changed due to pandemic, according to the Nation of Change organisation. Whilst Covid-19 has forced many to stay indoors around the world, Mother Nature has been able to work her magic. Under lockdown, there has been less traffic, resulting in less pollution which has improved the environment globally. In the UK the bee population has been thriving. 6 Bonita’s Top Tips 1. Two or three grains of rice in a salt 5. If you pot up plants, put a small label pot prevent the salt getting damp. in the bottom of the pot before filling with compost, just in case the label you stick in the pot falls out. 2. Nuisance Calls If you have any useful tips please works on send them to Judith Catton (contact BT only. details on page 2). As soon as the line Oddfellows on is clear from the pest call dial 1572 and press option 1. This will prevent Tour 2021 them getting through again. We have tentatively 3. If you ever have power cuts, prepare rebooked our hotel by buying some battery operated fairy and coach for our lights cool white (NOT Warm White) postponed Llandudno and put them in a vase or bottle. Safer trip for Thursday 8 to and a better light. Sunday 11 April 2021. Please let us know if you still would like to join us, and if your requirements have changed (no longer sharing etc). Please also let us know if you are definitely NOT joining us. We don’t require deposits or any money at this stage because we know that we are 4. If you are short of being very optimistic, but we would freezer space, remove like to know your thoughts. We all packaging and put can’t guarantee places for everyone in bags, writing what’s but the sooner we have an idea the in the bag and cooking easier it will be for us to work out. instructions with a permanent marker.