ST. OSWALD’S LADIES GROUP
ST. OSWALD’S LADIES GROUP REPORT FOR APRIL
For our April meeting we welcomed Chris Birdsell-Jones the General Manager of Oswestry’s Wynnstay Hotel and a retained firefighter in Welshpool.who had been on a special mission driving a fire engine all the way to Ukraine. Chris and eight other colleagues from Mid and West Wales were among over one hundred members of the British Fire Service from all over the country who delivered thirty three appliances to beleaguered fellow firefighters at the Ukraine border. It was organised by the Home Office working in partnership with Fire Aid, NFCC National Resilience, English and Welsh fire and rescue services and the Fire Industry Association. He told us that it was a tremendous honour and very humbling to be part of the convoy including twenty fire engines, eight incident command units, one aerial ladder platform and a 4 x 4 vehicle, two mechanics vehicles and a HGV carrying over 2,800 items of surplus equipments all vital when handling an emergency.
They all met at Ashford in Kent before driving from France into Belgium through Holland into Germany and on through Poland to the Ukraine border where they handed over all the appliances and kit to their Ukrainian colleagues. The journey of over 2000 kilometres took five days and they were hosted by fellow fire-fighters all along the way sleeping in all manner of accommodationincluding a boarded-over rink floor.
It was so fascinating to hear a first hand account of being in Ukraine and seeing the dangers they had to face. He was a very brave man.
Our next meeting will be on the second Monday in May because of the bank holiday - May 12th at 2.30 p.m. in the Parish Centre when we welcome Julie Dean, Ellesmere Honey Company, to be our Speaker. If you would like further details of our group please contact me on 01691657903 or e mail
ann_sagar@btinternet.com. Subscriptions for the year are due £15 with no increase from last year.
Ann Sagar
Hon. Secretary
Unfortunately because of the weather our January meeting had to be cancelled but luckily Chris Birdsell-Jones has agreed to rejoin us as our speaker for our April meeting.
Our next meeting will be on Monday February 3rd in the Parish Centre at 2.30 p.m when we welcome Justin Soper as our speaker to talk about ‘Tales of Shropshire in the English Civil War’.
We are always pleased to welcome new members to our group and if you would like further information please do not hesitate to contact me on 01691657903 or ann_sagar@btinternet.com.
We meet in the Parish Centre on the first Monday in the month except bank holidays when it is the second Monday at 2.30 p.m. We have a speaker each meeting followed by a cup of tea and a chat.
Ann Sagar
Hon. Secretary