Ted Langridge joined the Rotary Club Of Boscombe and Southbourne in April 1966 and became a member of the Community Service Committee which met at The Bell at Pokesdown where Rtn. Michael Green was landlord. They met in a small room which they called the Black hole of Calcutta but after the meeting they would adjourn to the bar for a little convivial comradeship.
When Ted became Chairman he suggested to the Committee that they should think of a project that would help the local community and after much debate they decided to try to provide some reasonably priced accommodation for the elderly needy
Funds were going to be needed and so Ted suggested starting a shop with donated goods. The Committee agreed and Ted made available, at peppercorn rent, a small shop and part of a large store for receiving, sorting and pricing donated goods.
Inner Wheel and Rotary Club members turned out their wardrobes and cupboards and donated goods. Rtn. Bill Burton turned out the cellar of his art shop and gave us many paintings, one of which still hangs in our Club room today and also Rtn Norman Meader gave some lovely bits of Objet' d Art . To name but two of the generous givers.
On the Monday morning October 28th 1968 Rtn. Michael Green, Bournemouth's youngest Mayor, declared the Rotary shop open,
Inner Wheel Members and wives of Rotarians staffed the shop during the week and Rotarians covered Saturday afternoons. The shop takings rose steadily and as soon as funds permitted a full-time lady assistant manager was appointed.
The shop flourished and it was decided to look for a suitable property to achieve the ambition of housing the needy. In due course Northwick Hotel was purchased and a housing association was formed under the name "The Rotary and Inner Wheel Housing Association" and registered with the charity Commissioners and Registrar of Friendly societies.
The Hotel was converted to accommodate 20 people plus a Warden. A very large room at the rear of the House was thought would make a very good club room for the residents and other elderly people of the area and a kitchen and toilets were added.
A few months later first the Inner Wheel Club and then the Rotary Club were informed that the would have to find a new meeting place for the Clubs and they obtained permission to meet in this Room and a bar was added and the Northwick Club was formed. In order to decorate the room members were asked to search out their banners and emblems and Ruth Langridge sewed them into the displays as seen today.
Eventually Northwick was paid for and yet there was still a need for accommodation and Stourwood House was purchased to provide a further 13 places and a Warden. Volunteers from the Club painted the rooms and worked in the garden to bring it up to standard.
Stourwood provides a cooked lunch and a high tea for its residents which is a boon for some.
Northwick and Stourwood provide happiness to 22 people and are a credit to the both the Inner Wheel and Rotary Clubs of Southbourne and Boscombe |
