Another good Saturday morning.

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Today was probably one of the busiest meetings we’ve had….3 regular members couldn’t make it but we had 2 new members, Loran & Kyra….after the usual busy time setting everything up we started, it was our first committee meeting today, the committee members each had an agenda, which for those not reading these articles regularly includes 4 junior Crafty Turners, total meeting time about 15 minutes, lots sorted and the beginning of a useful experience for the youngsters.

Everybody knew we had a special visitor coming today, at the last meeting it was suggested they all bring the things they had made and displayed them on a gallery table, and they didn’t disappoint, it was obvious they were proud of what they had made and wanted to show them. They were given 3 different coloured cloths and between them with no arguing they set it up brilliantly, various different shapes were put under the cloths to make it interesting, Loran who loves to draw brought in a pencil drawing of a dog called Shadow, and I added the picture of a Dragon she gave me last week. The table had bowls, bud vases, turned pieces, iron work made on a forge, an apron made for working at the forge, pencil drawings, a rectangular coloured wall piece etc etc, I’m pretty sure I speak for all the senior helpers when I say it was impressive. The picture to the left shows some of the member’s work.

Just before 10.00 am Councillor Yvonne Weeks the Mayor of Havant arrived with her husband, as arranged young Sarah greeted her and introduced her to each and everybody as they made their way slowly round the hall, the mayor took time to talk to everybody and the juniors were at ease explaining what they were doing. I stood back in case Sarah needed help but she did brilliantly, didn’t need me at all, so as per every meeting and this is meeting No 40 I kept hearing those cries…….Mick have you got this or Mick I cant find that….etc etc and so didn’t stay with the official party all the way round. The picture to the right shows (from left to right) Sarah (Vice Chairman of Crafty Turners, Her Worship the Mayor of Havant, her husband, Mick Giles (Chairman). The lady sitting down is Angie, who organises the very popular craft activities.

A bit before schedule it was time for some quick thinking so the showing of a short video was introduced, everybody stopped what they were doing and gathered round and I explained what it was all about, some weeks ago young Kieran and James went to the local scrap yard and took some footage, James had edited it just in time to show it today, in short it was Kieran introducing himself as a Crafty Turner but in an unusual way, now comes the difficult bit explaining to you the reader…in short it was Kieran walking along and starting to introduce himself when a shout comes “DUCK” and a car falls on top of him from a great height, bits of car and glass everywhere, seconds later with face covered in mud and glasses tilted like Captain Mainwaring in Dads Army Kieran slowly climbs up from behind the car and says “Kieran” brilliant, a deserved round of applause was given, at this point both lads should have taken a bow, didn’t think of it at the time but that’s how it is when you make it up as you go.

Soon after its time for a break, lots of very useful chat for the club, and lots of chatting for everybody else and of course a welcome break for those working on the lathes. After the break the mayor said she had heard about the firing of the cannon and wanted to see the video….the boys not knowing I had set this up with the mayor are now wondering why it wasn’t on the computer, that bit was true, it had simply disappeared, timing or what? To relieve the boys I suggested they look in the cupboard down the hall, to their surprise there it was after all this time, the cannon, it was carried up the hall and hastily put together, the party poppers were tied to the string and off they went 3…..2….1 and the target was hit…but sadly no bang and bits out the end of the barrel, I had purchased the worst not working bag of poppers on this planet…to late now, but I do remember lots of laughter so either it was funny because it looked realistic or because it didn’t work after that big build up, but all in all a laughing crowd is a laughing crowd aye….. The picture shows the canon being prepared for firing.

The bell was rung for quiet and Sarah presented the mayor with the bowl we all helped turn, she loved it.. Kieran had sanded the inside then lightly burnt part of it in my workshop and then took it home to oil it, it has to be said he made a beautiful job of it, he explained how he did it then Kirsten presented her with a card that they had made and we all signed. The picture shows the Mayor of Havant and Sarah (Vice Chairman)

So it was back to the walk round…the mayor was looking through the website with the help of Ron and then she asked if she could turn something, well there is no better compliment for us than for somebody asking if they can turn something so as Mike was available we set to getting her ready with smock and visor, once kitted up away they went, Mike with his little bits of humour thrown in created a good relaxing experience for Madam Mayor, he explained briefly what they were doing during the making of a small goblet, we wont mention the small lampshade, (you had to be there for that one)

With the turning done the mayor called for quiet and presented us with the Havant Borough shield, on it said AVANT GARDE (and very appropriately refers to people or works that are experimental or innovative) which Sarah accepted on our behalf, wow, nobody was expecting that, what a nice surprise. As usual the time went very quickly and it was time to say goodbye to the mayor, the juniors immediately started to discuss what we do with the shield, the suggestions noted so now it’s down to me to make it happen, more on that later.

Ill now just quickly go through all the other things we did this morning, sorry if I miss anything but this is all from a very blurred memory of what happened during our 3Hr meeting that went in a flash. The boys cut and hot melt glued sticks together, fired the cannon and set up and played the video, Jordan helped Sue at break time, Bill & Grant were on the lathe with Dave, the other Dave helped Kieran turn a pen for the Blacksmith and then turned more Pens, and one was presented to the mayor, Eric and Ken helped a number of juniors turn various things, Ron was busy on the computer and showing us bowls and tricks with magnets, Angy & Sue were mainly card making on the craft table, Bill & Keith wondered around keeping an eye out and helping were it was needed and Alex took loads of pictures and advised the juniors of camera work, and Mike helped Loran turn her first bowl and of course helped the mayor turn a goblet.

Sarah turned a light house with Ken and the boys showed her how to hot melt glue it on the base, I guess she’ll finish it at the next meting?

I take this opportunity as elected chairman to officially say I’m so proud of what we have achieved here at Crafty Turners, I had no idea 3 plus years ago when I first put this group of both young and old people together that it would turn out (turn out…do you like that…turn…...ahh well never mind) like this, the helpers are amazing and the juniors just cant get enough of it, for those uninitiated the juniors are encouraged to get involved in everything, and I mean everything, Kieran helps think of ideas for the boys and prepare materials, Sarah is Vice Chair, Kirsten, Kayleigh Tom and Kieran are committee members, unless a junior has to leave early they all help clear away at the end of the morning, Kieran & James filmed, edited and presented the scrap yard video, mainly it was the girls who put the amazing gallery table together and placed the pieces, and Jordan helped in the kitchen. What can I say……it’s amazing and giving these young people this opportunity is so rewarding…..but, and there is always a but….beware…it carries a health warning…once you start helping you can’t stop, but then who would want to….

And there goes another brilliant amazing and rewarding morning, (ok that’s enough of the heavy stuff, you’ll be asking for the tissues next!) so the hall is cleared and the van is loaded and the doors locked…and there goes another brilliant Crafty Turners.

I finished writing this late Saturday night…..

PS I just have to add this bit……I’ve got up early the following morning after the meeting and I started to check all the paperwork, that’s new membership forms, attendance records and payments and finally signatures of committee members as we had an official meeting, at that meeting the open book was put on the table in front of me while I was explaining what was going on to the others…….. I startled my wife with loud laughing this morning because when I checked the signatures I fully expected a few missing from the juniors, first time and being new to it all etc, and what did I see, 2 missing signatures, mine and Angy, both senior helpers but what made me laugh so loudly was all the juniors signed with just a smiley face……now that’s what I call creativity…….I’m just lovin every minute of this………..

Mick October 2010

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