Fundraisers Group For The National Trust Celebrate 50th Anniversary

Published on: 25 Jul, 2019
Updated on: 25 Jul, 2019

Eighty members of a group that raises funds for the National Trust by arranging events and social activities for the organisation’s members have celebrated their own 50th anniversary.

Known as the West Surrey National Trust Centre, members enjoyed an afternoon garden party at the National Trust’s Hatchlands property on Tuesday, July 18.

Over the last 50 years it has raised more than £800,000 for local National Trust projects.

Pictured from left: the chairman of the West Surrey National Trust Centre, Steve Duckworth; Penelope Keith and Gisela Duckworth, secretary.

At the garden party members were greeted by a glass of bubbly before being welcomed by the group’s chairman Steve Duckworth.

The secretary of the National Trust, Paul Boniface, and the assistant of its director of operations for London and the South East Region, Jim Foy, gave short presentations, thanking members for their contributions of both time and money over the last 50 years.

Members were given an opportunity to ask questions and several members raised concerns about how the National Trust was responding to the challenges of climate change.

Vice-president of the group Pam Henderson, the group’s longest serving member having joined in 1973, shared memories from its early days. Its president, Dame Penelope Keith, and Pam Henderson were both presented with bouquets of flowers.

Members then enjoyed afternoon tea and an opportunity to look at a series of display boards featuring press cuttings, documents and a summary of its history assembled by Jean and Harry Wickens.

Its second longest serving member, Mary King, signed copies of her booklet Organiser’s Anecdotes, which details some of the amusing and less amusing stories from over 40 years of organising holidays and outings for the West Surrey National Trust Centre.

Click here for more details of the West Surrey National Trust Centre.