RE-UNION NEWS

Issue One February 1996 3rd February 1996

BEATLES 'ANTHOLOGY' SPARKS NOSTALGIA BOOM

The amazing thing about Beatles songs is that almost everyone of my generation has one which means something special to them. One in particular leads me back to a warm September Na - na - na - na-na - na - na!

Sunday in 1968. The new Beatles single was going to be played by Alan "Fluff" Freeman on Pick of the Pops. I think it was Brian who brought the radio. We were on our way to church when the strains of "Hey Jude" came floating across the airwaves. Strong melody? Yes, it must be one of Pauls. But wait a minute ...... Na, na, na, na, na, na, na! for nearly three minutes!! The arguments raged all through the sermon and continued over Clarks pies all the way up the Causeway. I can't remember if we went to Paulines that night ... but we probably did. And the arguments continued for days ... but most of us bought the record. After all, it was great for 'smooching' at the Youth Club.
Legend has it that when Clive Blackwell was in Bill Villis' Sunday School class which was held in the upstairs room at Argyle Congregational church, he dared to suggest that a Youth Club should be started on Saturday evenings. After much discussion, the church elders, in their wisdom, sanctioned the idea. The unfortunate soul selected for the job of controlling a mob of unruly teenagers was the unlikely figure of Fred Manning, husband of Sunday School teacher, Maisie.

I'm sure the fact that Fred had a crew cut and looked like an ex-S.A.S colonel had nothing to do with his selection as Youth Club Leader!
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     So that's how it started. At first you had to belong to the Sunday School and attend church on Sundays in order to belong to the Youth Club. Soon it became simply a matter of showing your winkle to other club members or face a fine!
      Funds were raised from sponsored walks and 24hr table tennis maratons. Club rambles were organised to Cheddar Gorge and Chew Magna; and coach trips to Barry Island and Weymouth. Some youth club members became more involved with the church & Sunday School, organising outings for the younger children, arranging anniversaries, helping with the Old Folks Teas & Harvest Festivals.
      But Saturday nights were always alright. Especially when Brillo played his soul records. And there was always the smooching if you couldn't dance! Vision Expires!

As the years passed I often wondered how all those fresh-faced teenagers had coped with all the ups & downs that life had surely thrown at them. How had we all changed since those days of innocence? Then, quite out of the blue about 5 years ago, I received a phone call from Mike. He was moving into the area and would like to meet up. I jumped at the chance for it had been 10 years since we had last met. At first things were

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