Once again members assembled at the Langport Arms Hotel for the annual gathering each year for the most popular event, the Club Christmas Lunch.  This was again enjoyed by all thanks to the excellent Xmas fare supplied by the Hotel Staff and Chef with a Turkey so large it took three hours to cook!

 Our Chairman Hamish Biggar afterwards, thanked the Staff for their hard work and excellence of this Xmas meal and all parted then homewards in festive mood.

The Club Annual General Meeting took place in the New Village Hall attended by 36 members.

Our Hon Secretary Ann Leyburn addressed the assembly with a resume of the minutes of the 2007 AGM which were then voted and accepted.

John Taylor our Trip Organiser then gave prior information of trips planned for 2009 with advice that regulations now required passengers travelling by coach should carry medication details with them.

Mrs Leyburn then rose to give details in her report of events and happenings in 2008 in the Club whose Secretarial report was then accepted

This was followed by the Treasurers report.  Mr. Richard Jackson had prepared for 2008 a receipt & payments account, which was distributed to members showing the Club, was in good financial situation and was in sound order.  This was then voted and accepted.

Our Chairman ,Hamish Biggar then rose and spoke about the success and membership of the Club in recent times.  Mentioned was praise of the work put in by the Officers and Committee for the Club.  Changes in the structure of the Clubs Committee were going to occur due to the retirement of two Officers, our Treasurer Richard Jackson after five years and also one of the stalwarts and long servicing Officers, Vice-Chairman Cdr J. R. Hoover. Thanks were recorded of all the hard work they had given to the running of the Club over the years. Other changes were the retirement of Mr & Mrs Thornburrow after four years serving the Club on the Committee as scribe for reports on the Club in this Newsletter, this being taken over by Mrs Ann Whittle.

Voting then took place for new Officers and Committee Members. Mr Bruce Whittle as new Vice-Chairman, Mr D Mason as new Treasurer, and Mrs M Vile as a Committee Member. Mrs Evelyn Stevens was also relinquishing her post as liaison Officer for the Club with Age Concern Organisation.  Lastly Ruth who has ably looked after our refreshments at meetings is also passing this post onwards and retiring.

Our Chairman then closed the AGM, and members were able to enjoy afterwards wine and beverages provided by the Club.

Somerset Carnivals - A talk by Mr. J Dando - Tuesday 4th November 2008 

This talk was about Somerset Carnivals by Mr. J. Dando. Our Speaker is heavily engaged in the work of these night-time Carnivals, and gave us a full picture of these and the work involved, the funds received from the public going to charities.  His enthusiasm was infectious and spread to our audience. He had even brought along some Carnival costumes with stories about them.  As the largest Carnival at Bridgwater was due to take place only at the end of that week the talk was very topical.

Visit to North Somerset - Tuesday 21st October 2008 

In the late afternoon our coach left St Martin`s Close bound for the North Somerset Coast and the Town of Minehead. The first stop was made for ten members of the party to visit the West Somerset Railway Headquarters at Minehead Station.  A most informative talk was given by a Volunteer of the WSR about the history of the line, and bringing us up to date about passenger numbers, operations etc. We then visited the site of the new engine turntable which had just been officially declared open that very day.

 The remaining members had journeyed onwards to Lorna & Richard Robbins’ small factory in Minehead where they produce, from Belgian chocolate, an exquisite range of hand made chocolates. These are sold in exclusive venues such as NT Properties.  Later, after a short coach journey, supper was taken at a 19^th Century Pub , The Rest & Be Thankful Inn at Wheddon Cross.

Poetry by F Phelps - Tuesday 7th October 2008 

The Clubs guest speaker this evening, was Mr F. Phelps who had turned to writing poems after leaving the RAF, a talent he had only taken up in later life.  Instead of the customary poetry, he wrote his with humour, themes such as poems about Hedgehogs covered with grease, Crows that flew upside down, and many others made his poems somewhat unusual. Coupled with this were stories, jokes, and even articles taken out of a box for audience participation to make up a story about a Genie, Prince Charles and a Royal Corgi.

This was a hilarious evening from a very funny man. It was good in these times of doom and gloom to hear an audience rocking with laughter, a real breath of Music Hall entertainment in these gloomy times.  

Afterwards this was followed by an auction of Harvest Produce, which raised the figure of £36.80.  The Meeting was then closed.

Call My Bluff Quiz - Tuesday 2nd September 2008 

The return of Larry & Sue Skeats with Dave Harris was welcomed with their fun game of "Call my bluff2". The audience are shown some sixteen items, and each of the three presenters give a verbal description of what the articles are, but only one presenter is telling the truth, which has to be guessed by the audience. either A,B, or C, As some of the items were found on the Continent, Farming, Thatching, Veterinary etc. this was quite difficult and gave the little grey cells much exercise. The highest score from Members was eleven, which shows how well the items had been collected and described, We shall look forward to the third edition of this enjoyable entertainment in the future.

   Visit to Ann Leyburn's garden

 - 12th August 2008

Our Club Secretary Mrs Ann Leyburn kindly opened her garden in Fivehead to Members for an afternoon's cream tea. This was well attended and the talking point was the Marquee belonging to the Chairman which had disappeared, having valiantly been erected in the garden the afternoon before, by Committee Members for the event. During the night because of high winds the Marquee had slipped its moorings and collapsed in a heap. Some said it was seen flying towards Curry Mallet but this could have been hearsay! However notwithstanding the inclement weather, many scones and cream, and cakes were consumed with relish by all, and Ann is to be congratulated for her organisation with helpers, for an excellent event.

A party of thirty-two Members and Friends joined the Coach for the Clubs Annual Day Outing to the Marwell Zoological Park near Winchester in Hampshire The Afternoon was spent in the Park looking at the many species of animals from around the world, some which had never been heard of as being extremely rare.

The Zoological Park specialises in breeding endangered species so many of the animals had babies that caused a lot of interest. The Coach left Marwell at 4.00pm for the return journey to Fivehead arriving back at 6.00pm.  This was a most educational and interesting day out with the weather holding out from the rain.

Due to the hospitality of Mr & Mrs Richard Jackson, Members were able to visit their delightful garden in Swell to enjoy not only its excellence, but to enjoy afterwards in the Garden Room, an afternoon Tea Party not withstanding the inclement weather outside.  With many thank to Wendy and Richard for having opened up their garden for this afternoon visit.

Club Members were able to welcome back Mr. Stephen Sylvester from his last hilarious talk in 2006 of being a Bevan Boy, he was able to recount his career from then on in the entertainment business as a young man.  This was fascinating with stories of how he started by joining a Repertory Company in Northants and finished up later in life as an Area Official for Equity the Artist Union.

This brought him into contact with Producers, Directors, Writers, Stars, not only in Theatres, but also later with the birth of Television.  He was able to keep the Members amused with many stories of famous or widely known people particularly memories of Fanny Craddock the TV Chef and her husband Johnny in the sixties. All together a most enjoyable talk laced with humour.

On a beautiful sunny spring morning, 47 Members and 2 Guests departed on an outing to a most interesting place in Bovey Tracey known as the House of Marbles.  This venue was on the site of the original Bovey Tracey Pottery, and had retained the old brick buildings, sheds and one of the huge brick kilns from the days of making pottery.

Starting our tour into the Museum the first room had a replica model of how the pottery factory looked in early days, Some examples of old pottery, i.e. cups, plates made originally were in glass cases around the walls for visitors to view.  The pottery history went back to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.  Then next onwards into the more modern part of the building was displays of the multitude of current marbles mass-produced today from Japan ! available to buy in all shapes, colours and sizes. An excellent Restaurant was also available for lunch and refreshments, which many Members enjoyed.

Another room had on display a vintage American machine that originally manufactured glass marbles. This so large nearly took up the length of the room.   Also hanging from the walls were numerous early wooden pintables Quite surprisingly to find such a fine collection from days when these items were so popular with early generations,

Finally we watched at the House of Marbles demonstrations of glass blowing which the factory make as luxury glassware displayed in their showrooms. Down the road if time, members could visit another factory which specialised in producing teapots and mugs of modern decorative designs.

Boarding our Coach we departed for the rugged and vast Dartmoor, stopping off at Hey Tor, a rock outcrop on the hilltop and the more energetic of our numbers either ran or walked up to this beauty spot to enjoy the fantastic view across the Moor and beyond.  Others wisely remained down in the Car Park to enjoy ice cream on the hot day.

Next stop the unspoilt Dartmoor Village of Widecombe on the Moor where Devon Cream Teas were served giving us also a short time to walk round this quiet and lovely place before making our way reluctantly homeward.  Again thanks to Jean & John Taylor for having organised such a nice day.