During the first lockdown, members of the dementia coffee morning groups took part in some virtual sessions and shared objects that sparked memories and helped to tell their personal stories.
This is Me - Diana
I grew up in Cricklewood and came to Ruislip in 1963 where I got married and had a family. Things were a bit tight when the children were small, so I decided to make some soft toys to sell to make extra cash. I made some sandwiches and took the children on the train to Uxbridge. We went to Randalls and got the material.
In those days, Randalls sold everything from baby prams to material, not like today's furniture and kitchenware. Afterwards, we went to Fassnidge Park, had our sandwiches, fed the swans, chased the squirrels and went on the swings. Then it was home time for tea and bed - a nice day out.
This is Me - Rose (on behalf of Byrn)
I'm writing this on behalf on my husband, Bryn Jones. He passed away in March 2020 having had Alzheimer's for seven years. He attended the dementia coffee mornings at both Uxbridge and Botwell Green libraries. He loved going along each week and enjoyed the reminiscing sessions. This is a photo he liked to show and talk about to the group.
It shows his mother Mary Rose Jones (née Vurley), known as Rosa to her friends and family. She was born in 1913 in Preston, Lancashire and moved to Hayes as a young adult. In the early 1930s, she became a police officer in the Metropolitan Police. From the photo showing the number 22 on her uniform, we think she may have been the 22nd female officer in the Met. She was originally based at Paddington Green Police Station and later moved to Southall where we believe she was the first female police officer to be stationed there.
The photograph was taken by J J H Freeman who was based at Woodstock House, Wood End Green Road in Hayes.
This is Me - Sue
My parents and I were born in the Sudan in Africa. My mother worked for the Sudan Government Head Office from 1940 to 1960, and one day the senior office staff were invited to a tea party in the British Embassy where my mother met Lady Baden-Powell. It wasn't long before she was asked to help Lady Baden-Powell to start the Girl Guide movement in Khartoum, Sudan.
They rented a big house with a garden and started having weekly Girl Guide meetings. Lady Baden-Powell had to visit other African countries and asked my mother to carry on what she had started. She visited an international Sudanese girls' school and asked the principals to support the Girl Guide movement. In a few years, we had more than 500 girls join in. Their mothers were very pleased to bring their girls to the Girl Guide meetings as they learned a lot of interesting and useful things. I also became a leader in my late teens. My mother and two other ladies kept it going for more than 15 years and later on they handed the leadership to the younger generation.
The picture is of my mother (Angelica), Lady Baden-Powell and me (Sue) at the age of 5, in the 50s. My mother and I attended a lot of jamborees and visited many camping sites in Europe. Joining the Girl Guides helped me in many ways. I am now 72 years old and these lovely memories will stay in my mind for ever.
This is Me - Kulwant
The game of Carrom originated in India. There is a theory that the Carrom board originated with the maharajas. I am from India and I loved playing this game in my childhood. There was no television then. I still play the game here with my grandchildren.
