WOMEN’S FORUM: We heard an interesting talk about the Great Houses in the Washburn Valley, and a tour of more houses than I had known in the small section of the old Forest of Knaresborough, which covered the Washburn. Diana Parsons led us through the centuries and the families inhabiting the houses. At one point a voice broke in as a photo of a family came up. “That’s my great grandfather!” and so it was. Others also spoke of experiences they had known of the houses shown, some which were extant but some now underwater or dismantled, or in severely decayed condition. A truly interesting morning. We topped it off with a good cup of coffee or tea and a biscuit and a lovely chocolate each from a member whose birthday it happened to be. Our next meeting will be on April 18 when Alan Pugh will tell us about Beckett Street Cemetery. Join us at the Methodist Church, from 9.45am to 11.45am, for another interesting morning. And put your names down to join the visit to Yorkgate Gardens on May 2.

MEN’S FORUM: The obvious dangers of motor cycle racing were illustrated to us when wheelchair-bound Brett Crossley told us of his life subsequent to his accident in 2006 at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough, that resulted in serious spinal injury. His tremendous courage and fortitude has enabled him to prove that what you get out of life is in direct proportion to the effort you put into it. Starting in July, 2009, after three years of medical treatment, he joined, via the charity Back Up, a multi-activity course in the Lake District where he was able to increase his ability to use his wheelchair over rough terrain. Here he met a volunteer from Canada called Ashley. She invited him to Vancouver Island where he again improved his ability at various activities such as wind surfing, hill climbing in a wheelchair and driving a quad bike. Upon his return to UK he joined Leeds Athletic Club and started wheelchair racing but, also due to Back Up, he was able to go to Colorado and learn to ski. At Castle Combe and Snetterton he again was able to ride a motor bike. In appreciation of the tremendous help given to him by the charity, he has raised money for them by competing in numerous wheelchair marathons and half marathons, two Coast to Coast events, the Great North Run and the Snowdon Push. Our next meeting is on Thursday, April 18, at 10am at Otley Methodist Church when Graham Peacock will tell us about The Channel Tunnel.