From Eddie Snooks, the Geezers Chairman:
With 2024 coming round the corner and hopefully with all four wheels attached I would like to sum up 2023 for The Geezers club.
January 2023
We started with a visit to the club by Vince Spade a brilliant magician who left us baffled (we usually are).
We hope to put on a variety show featuring Vince in spring.
We launched a Geezers corn hole competition won by John Forster (above) who did not cheat.
Also during January we managed to get ourselves to South Ken. to visit the Design Museum and throw in a visit to The Winston Churchill pub.
February
Was a month of visits to the club. Rabbi Eli Goldsobel came along as did local historian and good egg Carolyn Clark.
We went to the ever popular Bancroft Road archives to see a great documentary on East End slum clearance called Goodbye Longfellow Road.
March
Was so very busy with visitors to the club from the Alzheimer’s society (more on this later) and our friendly NHS health guide Nicola Humberstone.
Probably the best, and highly recommended, was the visit to Whitewebbs motor and WW2 museum in Enfield
April
Was really exciting with builders JerramFalkus making it possible to hire minibuses and covering the entry to Bletchley Park – home of the WW2 code breakers.
Visits to Bishopsgate Institute and a new member, Paul Dixey joining rounded the month off.
May
Was the start of a brilliant summer for the Geezers and Bow’s elderly residents.
A coach trip for 53 to Deal was the start of it.
Going all Micheal Caine, did you know that Shepherd Neame was the oldest brewery in England. Following our visit we do.
Another visit by Carolyn to discuss the industrial heritage of Bow and the start of plastics.
June
Was so nice and hot we decided a game of bowls would be a good idea.
Victoria Park Bowls Club and club captain Brian Jolly made the Geezers very welcome.
Our day trip to the ever popular Brighton was really well received by everyone.
July
Well what a month, thanks to Paul Herbert we had two days boating on the Broads.
A visit to a biscuit factory museum in Bermondsey and another coach trip this time to that old favourite Clacton (watch out for the seagulls)
August
Highlight for me was the visit by Shirley Carnegie and little Doug the great grandson of Dougie.
It got busy again with a fantastic day out in Hastings.
A trip to Folkestone with an amazing ride on the Romney to Hythe railway to Dungeness. Photo below: some Geezers enjoying cod and chips in The Britannia at Dungeness.
We also started to plan the Geezers involvement in the painting of the lost pubs hoardings for Jerram Falkus.
September
Was a sad month as we lost John Day, a founding member of the Geezers, but I’m sure John would have said, “Life goes on.”
We went on a special trip by river to Tower Bridge for a guided tour.
The Geezers raised £1500 for the Alzheimer’s society with a sponsored walk around Victoria park. This month we managed to pack in so much, a day trip to Maldon and another full coach to Eastbourne (below).
October
Was quiet by Geezers standards
A brilliant visit to The Thames River Police Museum (below) and a pint in Wapping afterwards.
The Geezers supported member Barrie Stradling who had a special event at Headway, a charity for people with brain injuries.
Health visits and film shows rounded off the month.
November
Saw us start the painting of the lost pubs hoardings : photo above. We had a lovely visit from David Calvin of The Zacchaeus project in Bethnal Green.
Remembrance Sunday at Bow cemetery was attended as usual by the Geezers.
The start of art classes by Joy Girvin at Chisenhale studios.
A trip to Kingston upon Thames Christmas market was wet but fun. The month was rounded off with a showing of Barrie’s film on his brain injury that was really well received.
December
No let up for the Geezers, we started our photography competition. We made a special visit to the Stepney City Farm Community Party.
We managed to eat a whole cow, a pig and a turkey at the Christmas carvery in the Eagle, Snaresbrook. We had a great night of dancing at the community hall party organised by Lorraine.
Carried on with our art classes painting robins.
Carolyn Clarke announced the 2024 main Geezers project funded by the National Lottery.
To all the people, groups etc who have supported us we couldn’t have had such a wonderful year without you.
Eddie Snooks and the Geezers.
Great adventures lads/lasses – lovely to witness what you do.
fter the east end diaspora,there are many like me who now live on the coast.
If you coiuld forewarn of trips ,ex east Condoners could meet you!
Chris Savory – ex Bow Common.
Hello Chris
I’m working on the Beano trips and will have dates soon. We will be going to Deal Hastings Brighton Eastbourne Broadstairs and hopefully a trip from Tower Pier to Southend Pier on The Waverley paddle steamer.
Also a trip on The Ongar steam railway with real ale and fish n chips.
You can drop me an email at bowgeezers@btinternet.com and I will send you the dates.
Regards
Eddie Snooks
Geezers Chair.
hi eddie
ill buy you a beer in eastbourne mate for sure.
let me know whe youre going.
best.
chris
COYI
Well done to you all, We really enjoyed reading the years diary, Cathryn and David Parker👍