Men’s Fellowship Breakfasts Nov: Richard Jackman

The November Men’s Breakfast provided an opportunity for Wiltshire’s Chief Constable, Catherine Roper, to engage with some of the county’s public - admittedly not necessarily a representative grouping and hopefully all law-abiding - and she impressed them. In setting out her credentials, gained mostly in the Metropolitan Police, she revealed not only a very wide breadth and depth of experience but also, in passing, that she had been the lead investigator of 'Partygate’! She took a number of searching general questions and even went away with the necessary details to follow up on a couple of individual cases. Having brought the Wiltshire Police Force out of special measures in just over a year, the Breakfasters are probably in universal agreement that our county is in safe and capable hands. Approximately £120 was raised for her nominated charity - Wansdyke Carriage Driving Group, which provides disabled adults with the opportunity to enjoy the countryside from the leisurely pace of a horse-drawn carriage.

The next breakfast, on Monday 2nd December, draws on some in-house talent when Andrew Moore, a retired investment practitioner from Heytesbury, will speak to “What did you do in the Great War grandpa?” being an account of the German naval bombardment of West Hartlepool, 110 years ago this month. An account based around Andrew’s grandfather, a second generation German immigrant who happened to be the shore battery Captain at the time of the raid. 

For your forward diaries, the first breakfast in the New Year, on Monday 6th January, will again feature an in-house speaker when David Shaw of Codford, who generally provides the closing prayers for the gathering, will have the opportunity to talk about some of his varied experiences in a talk which he describes as "In my Anecdotage; a light-hearted ramble through a life."

Breakfasts cost £15, of which £2 will go towards the charity of the speaker's choice. Please note, this is not a club, but is open to all. Just contact the organisers via email ( uwvmfb@gmail.com), before the preceding Friday at the latest, if you'd like to attend.