PARBOLD MEMBERS AND THE NORTH WEST REGION

Since the inception of the Parbold branch, over 14 years ago in 1996, we have been represented on the Regional committee by 5 of our branch members in several capacities.

Pat Birch, the founder member of Parbold, who had also started the Southport branch some years earlier, was Regional Secretary 1996-8 and then Chairman of the North West Region 1998-9.  In 1999 the Regional committee, led by Pat, took over the responsibility of organising and running Regional Day 2000 at Edge Hill College and after that Pat stood down.  Unfortunately Pat died in 2005.

Pauline Hannon – a previous member of the Kirkintilloch, Glasgow and Bolton branches; was Parbold Chairman from 1997–2000 and a member of the Regional committee.  In 2003 Pauline took over from Betty Mansfield as Regional Chairman, resigning in 2007 to move to London.   She was a Guild trustee for three years and acting National Vice-Chair from 2007-8.

I moved to the North West in October 2000,  having been a previous member of Banbury, and Northamptonshire branches;  founding member of the Daventry branch and the Regional Secretary for the Central East Regional committee 1995-2000 before the split into 2 regions – Eastern and East Midlands.
I was introduced to Betty Mansfield at the National AGM in Southampton in April 2000 and joined Parbold branch in the November.  I eventually found myself co-opted as NW Regional Treasurer in May 2001 and did this job for a further 6 years, finally ‘retiring’ as Treasurer in 2007 when I took over the temporary post of Regional Chair for 1 year only, from Pauline.

In 2006 Monica Selway was co-opted to the committee to help set up the three National Trust exhibitions to celebrate the Guild’s centenary and she is now currently Vice-Chair, due to take over as Regional Chair in October this year.

Our latest recruit to the Region is Sue Abbott who jumped in at the deep end in October 2009 by taking over the role of Young Embroiderers’ Organiser.

SO – who will be next?  We have set a trend and we need people to follow in our footstep - but perhaps we should be watching out for those who mention the dreaded word
“co-option” – beware!

It would be interesting to know of any other branch who has had this connection with work in the Region – let us know.

AND – of course we now have the ‘Icing on the Cake’  in the form of Pauline Hannon who has just taken over as Guild National Chairman and we all wish her well in this huge job – good luck Pauline – we will be thinking of you.