A 1940’s themed social evening was held recently by Wirral KFA.
We are lucky to have an organist, Dave Bowers, who is a partner of one of our Committee Members Gill Williams, who came along to play for us & brought his friend John Moran, who entertained us by singing a medley of songs.
We all dressed appropriately in 1940’s attire, including seamed stockings on some ladies!!
It was a very enjoyable evening, we enjoyed a lovely buffet supper, we sang typical “War Time” songs and danced the night away waltzing, jiving, jitterbugging & some talented ladies even demonstrated the Rumba! Strictly Come Dancing eat your heart out!
One of the highlights of the evening was the attendance of Betty Humphreys, mum to Gwen Williams, one of our Committee Members. Betty came dressed in her original Red Cross uniform that she wore during her volunteer nursing days in the 1940’s.
Here is a photo taken around 1945 (aged 17) when she was working as a part-time Red Cross volunteer nurse at Grange Mount Maternity Hospital in Birkenhead, Wirral.
She kept her membership & qualifications up to date until 1988 when she was 60 years old.
Betty was originally a member of Cheshire Keep Fit Association and taught classes in the late 1960’s / early 1970’s at Woodchurch Leisure Centre, Wirral using records and tapes.
Betty has always been active and first started keep fit and other activities as part of the YWCA (Young Women’s Christian Association) Club. This is where she first joined the Red Cross and became involved in keeping fit & physical activities. At the age of just 14 she was selected to represent Birkenhead at the Royal Albert Hall, London in front of the then Princess Elizabeth in a dance demonstration performance of a minuet.
She was also selected to be part of a 200 strong group performing a skipping item (including the League of Health & Beauty & other Liverpool & Wirral Clubs) at Jericho Fields, Liverpool
Together with the YWCA and the KFA, Betty was also involved with the CCPR (Central Council for Physical Recreation). The CCPR was founded in 1935 and acted to protect and develop the interests of sports and physical recreation including movement and dance. During WW2, Eileen Fowler was employed by the CCPR to improve the fitness of workers and went on to lead Keep Fit activities and make them popular and in 1956, Eileen Fowler helped found the Keep Fit Association.
Today, at 92, Betty is as bright as a button and kept us all entertained with her tales and exploits, sang along to all the songs and even got up to dance.
A perfect example of how keeping fit and exercising on a regular basis makes all the difference in your life – a wonderful inspirational lady.