So what were you doing in March 1995? Did you go the Panto (Snow White at the URC Hall); a nine show production, including Saturday matinees running from Saturday 4th to the 11th March – Tickets on sale at The Shoe Shop. Maybe you went to the Auction of Goods and Talents at the George in aid of the Church Restoration Fund on the 22nd, or the Mothers’ Union Coffee morning on the 25th.
Where is all this fascinating history coming from? The first edition of the Village Voice hit the streets in March 1995, so that makes us 20 this month. This month’s cover drawing is appropriate too. Kempshill Cottage is where the first edition was compiled.
What else was going on? Wakes was saved when a new committee stepped in to take it over (familiar), a set of handbells was found by the parish council, and the sports committee had raised £75,000 in its first year of fund-raising.
There were 53 clubs and societies in the village ranging from Aerobics, to the Homing Society (pigeons I assume) and the Youth Club.
The Voice was designed to complement the events diary that was kept in the Post Office (the old one) and was seed funded by the Derbyshire Rural Community Council, the Parish Council and the Community Association.
Over twenty years it has had three editors: Tim Slyfield, Bob Barrett and myself (twice), and scores of others have folded, printed and delivered.
Sadly room doesn’t permit it to be reproduced here but I’ll put a copy on the Village Voice website at villagevoicetideswell.org.uk. It’ll be fascinating to see how much the village will have changed (or not) in another 20.
Pete Hawkins