Category: Events

A small glimpse of blue sky, (yes really!) greeted around thirty ESEC members at the White Horse Inn at Woodbury for the first of our 2026 coffee mornings, giving everyone an opportunity to chat and catch up on news since our Christmas lunch held at the Victoria Hotel in Sidmouth.

Members enjoyed free coffee and biscuits served by the staff at the White Horse Inn who always look after us so well.

Our Chairman Garry Adams welcomed everyone and gave a reminder of the change of date and venue for our March AGM.

Our thanks to Committee members Peter and Barbara Johnson for organising this event and of course the staff at the White Horse Inn.

After a turbulent week of wet weather, blue skies greeted 58 ESEC members at the Victoria Hotel, Sidmouth on the 4th December for our annual Christmas lunch.

This event is much anticipated by members who especially admire the hotel’s stunning Christmas decorations.

Our Chairman thanked Mr Duncan Henshaw and his team for looking after us so well and wished everyone a very happy Christmas and healthy New Year.

Around 16 members met at Bickleigh Mill on Armistice Day for a Club coffee morning with scrumptious home made tray bakes which were thoroughly enjoyed by everyone.

Members wore red poppies and observed the two minute silence at 11am remembering the cessation of hostilities which brought an end to the First World War, also remembering the fallen in subsequent conflicts.

Several members stayed on to enjoy lunch at the Mill and indulge in a little Christmas shopping.

Grateful thanks to Peter and Barbara Johnson for organising this event.

(Photo by Jan Russell)

Thirty one members of the Club were warmly greeted by staff at the White Horse Inn at Woodbury on Wednesday 22nd October for a Club sit down lunch.

Members were appreciative of another opportunity to enjoy a tasty and leisurely lunch made even better when Club Chairman and Treasurer Garry Adams handed out ‘a little something’ for everyone towards the cost of the meal.

Our grateful thanks to the staff of the White Horse Inn who looked after us so well and of course to Peter and Barbara Johnson for organising this event.

Photo by Jan Russell

Our September event saw 34 members gathering at King’s Garden Centre in Sidmouth to enjoy another free cream tea comprising freshly baked fruit or plain scones, clotted cream or strawberry jam together with a choice of tea or coffee.

There was plenty of good humoured banter with varying views on whether the jam or cream came first, the Devon cream winning the majority vote.

A very enjoyable and relaxing afternoon giving members an opportunity to catch up with friends and colleagues. Grateful thanks to Martin and Wendy Mitten for organising this event.

(Photo: Jan Russell)

There were over 50 very satisfied members who enjoyed their heavily subsidised lunch at Sidmouth recently. The venue was the Belmont Hotel, one of the Brend Group, and it certainly lived up to its reputation by providing an excellent lunch with a friendly and efficient staff in support.

There were many mini reunions of members who worked together at Barclays in years gone by and the Club seems to growing in numbers partly because of the varied and popular programme of events organised by its Committee.

The next function will be a free coffee morning at the George and Dragon Inn at Clyst St. George (close to Darts Farm) on Thursday 3rd July from 10.30am. Come and join us if you can.

Take a lovely Summer’s day in a local hotel, add their tasty scones and include plenty of jam and cream – the result is a highly successful gathering of Barclays pensioners for another free cream tea.

There were 27 members at the Hartnoll Hotel near Tiverton who enjoyed meeting and chatting in pleasant surroundings and there was a general reluctance to break up the proceedings.

The Club will next meet at the Belmont Hotel in Sidmouth on Wednesday 4th June. For details see our last Newsletter.