What do Artists, Gardeners, Ramblers, Travellers, Readers and Writers all have in common? The answer is that they all are or could be members of the Manor Gatehouse Club.
Formed in September 1983 when Shell, ICI and Unilever offered early retirement to many staff, but now open to all, the club has some 200 members who enjoy an active lifestyle and meet for social occasions.
At first, meetings were held in the Gatehouse of Burton Manor – hence the Club’s name. However, membership soon outgrew that venue so it now meets in the Gladstone Village Hall, Burton.
Every month (except August) there is a general meeting, forthcoming topics include Offa’s Dyke – our local history (July 6th, 2:30pm), Builders, Bankers and Bankrupts – People who made Liverpool famous (September 7th 2:30pm), Don’t Forget your Ration Book! (October 5th 2:30pm) and visits are organised to places of interest such as Airbus and The Mersey Tunnel.
The special interests of members are catered for by a number of groups. The artists meet every first and third week each month to discuss their work and help each other. They also hold an annual exhibition in Gladstone Village Hall (1st October this year) which is well worth a visit. The standard of work is very high and some of the pictures are offered for sale. Put a note of the date in your diary!
Throughout the summer the gardeners visit different gardens; forthcoming visits include Gilfach, Conway Valley (July), Clover Bank Organic Farm Congleton (August) and Biddulph Grange (September).
The ramblers are perhaps the most adventurous group, meeting every week to walk somewhere in the North West and North Wales. Walks are graded from short with a pub lunch to in excess of 10 miles and 3000ft of ascent. They also organise walking holidays in the Lake District in April and abroad in either May or mid-summer. This year it is Croatia.
From September to March, the travel group meet to listen to an illustrated talk on the adventures of members and others who have wandered the world. There have been talks on Peru, a Grand Tour of China, Provence, Canada and many other places. It often makes one want to go out there to visit oneself!
The literary group are multi-talented; in recent years the annual pantomime has been written produced and acted by members, much to the amusement of the Christmas Party audience. Quite how Tinkerbell manage to appear in The Pied Piper of Hamlin and Robin Hood as well as Peter Pan is something of a mystery, but thoroughly enjoyable! A recent meeting was devoted to writing limericks, one of which was:
Three pretty young lassies from Parkgate
Came to Burton a’seeking a mate
They went not to the pub
But the esteemed Gatehouse Club
But alas they arrived much too late’
For those who enjoy conversation in a convivial environment, the monthly luncheon group meet in a local public house on the first Monday of the month.
For more information, visit www.manorgatehouse.info
