CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME TO 2026
Here is your first Newsletter of the year and a warm welcome to you all. I hope it finds you fit and well, and “raring to go” to join us at the events of 2026.
Unfortunately I start this newsletter with the very sad news that our dear member, friend and former Secretary of the Club, Andrew Green, died peacefully on 12th December. There is more about this after my script.
This year we are again preparing a full programme of events to include 4 lunches (Inc. the AGM in March), 2 free coffee mornings, 2 free cream teas, a theatre outing and we hope a summer outing somewhere. That is 10 events for you to enjoy.
We have our AGM on Tuesday 17th March at The Swan’s Nest near Exminster, meeting from 11 am for coffee with the business part from 11.30 am. This is the same venue as last year with a carvery lunch. Full details provided later in this newsletter.
As usual, the business part takes about half-an-hour and will be followed by our speaker this year, Stephen Powles who is a retired Vet and BBC Countryfile contributor. He is an expert on the life of otters especially those around the rivers of Exmoor and East Devon. He also comes with a wealth of knowledge, videos and “live action” of the otters at work and play! Please come and join us from 11am. Lunch will be served from about 12.50 pm onwards.
Booking details for the AGM are attached to this Newsletter with the usual options and reply slips.
Before that we have our first free coffee morning of the year at The White Horse (usual venue on the Sidmouth road, near Aylesbeare) on Thursday 19th February followed by the AGM in March and our third event of the year being a free cream tea on Friday April 24th at The Hartnoll Hotel, Bolham (Near Tiverton) and then our Spring lunch at The Belmont Hotel, Sidmouth on Wednesday 3rd June.
Dates and venues and other future events will be announced at the AGM and in our Spring Newsletter.
With my other hat on, I can confirm that our finances remain in good health and we have already submitted our annual grant claim to HO which should see us maintain our lunch subsidies at around the 50% mark , with coffee mornings and cream teas free to members. As an example, the AGM subsidy to members will be 50%. A good incentive to be there! The annual accounts will be available as usual at the AGM.
Finally, please do visit our website for latest news and a write up of the Christmas lunch where we had 60 booked in to the Victoria Hotel at Sidmouth.
As an extra piece of news, we have welcomed to our Committee Jan Russell who has taken up the role of chief photographer and to provide summary write-ups for our website and facebook pages. Do take a look!
Although it seems a little late, I wish you all a very Happy, Safe and Healthy New Year, and look forward to seeing you at one or more of our events in 2026.
Garry Adams Chairman & Treasurer ESEC
ANDREW GREEN
The Committee were very saddened by the unexpected news that Andrew Green died peacefully on 12th December and, on behalf of All the Club members, we have sent our condolences to Lyn and the Family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this sad time.
Andrew was a popular and hardworking member of the club and had served as Secretary for six years along with being on the committee for many more years. He was also asked to say “Grace” at our various luncheon events, most recently at the Christmas Luncheon at The Victoria Hotel and this he did with great dignity and aplomb. He will be sorely missed.
A private funeral has already taken place, but there will be a Thanksgiving Service and Celebration of Andrew’s Life at The Mint Methodist Church, Fore Street, Exeter, EX4 3AT on Friday 16th January at 2pm. Everyone is welcome to come along.
Secretary’s Notes
A Happy New Year to You all and I look forward to seeing you at some of our planned events for 2026.
Regretfully, we have become aware that some of you have found (or not) our Newsletter(s) in the Junk/Spam/Trash folder rather than it being delivered to your Email address!
As you would expect, when we send them out by Email the Subject Line says “Exeter Spread Eagle Club Newsletter” and Peter (Johnson, my husband also a bank pensioner and committee member) does some covering words on the text lines to ‘show’ that it is a genuine email from his peteraj@talktalk.net account. The attachment (newsletter) is created as a Microsoft Word document and we suggest that it is ‘Saved As’ from the drop down menu into one of your folders and then it can be read and actioned, if necessary.
We send out 4 x Newsletters a year, usually January, April, July & October – so please keep a look out for them around the middle of these months. If you don’t receive anything, please let me know. Thank you.
Note: If you do not hold an email account, we will continue to post a copy to your home address.
Events that need a payment and choices:
Our Treasurer is very generous in giving us contributions towards many events but obviously can’t pay the full amount for outings say, like a lunch. If you have an email address and use Online Banking please consider making a direct BACs payment instead of writing and posting a cheque. The Club banking details are given later in this newsletter.
All we actually need from you is a short email giving your relevant information e.g. meal choices as described on the Event Booking Form, along with confirmation that you have sent a BACs payment. But, of course, we can still accept cheques and a form by post! Thank you.
Finally, if you have any other changes, please don’t forget to let me know so I can update our records. Thank you.
Take care and keep warm and cosy during these winter months.
Best wishes,
Barbara Johnson, Secretary
Wellbeing
A Happy New Year to you all. We repeat our usual request for a volunteer to join the Wellbeing team. The “duties” are not onerous and if you feel that you can assist please give me a call to learn more.
If you have any issues that you feel one of the Wellbeing team may be able to assist you with, than please contact one of us. Should you require and independent additional advice and support, then please remember the Bank Workers Charity who can help in a variety of ways. Their website is www.bwcharity.org.uk or you can telephone their confidential helpline on 0800 0234 834.
Ray Cavill
Wellbeing Coordinator
Annual General Meeting
The Club’s Annual General Meeting takes place on Tuesday, 17th March 2026 at 11.30am at The Swan’s Nest, Exminster EX6 8DZ. There is plenty of parking available in the car park situated in the grounds.
We are assured of a warm welcome. We do hope that you will join us for the short, but nevertheless important, meeting. This will be followed by an illustrated talk on otters by Stephen Powles. Lunch will follow at approx 12.45pm. Please complete and return the attached booking form so we can advise the Swans Nest of our anticipated numbers.
Directions: From Exeter/Countess Wear direction, take the Dawlish road (A379) at the roundabout. Continue along this road to another roundabout and turn left. The Swan’s Nest is signposted at this roundabout. From the Dawlish/Teignmouth direction, turn right at the roundabout at Exminster.
Access will be available for (free) coffee/tea and biscuits from 11.00am and we would ask that you are in your seats prior to the start of the meeting at 11.30am so that there is no distraction whilst we remember those who are no longer with us.
We have again saved some costs by not including the Agenda with this Newsletter, planning to distribute on the day, but if any would wish for a copy prior to this, in print or electronically, we shall be happy to oblige.
Social Functions
Free Coffee Morning – Thursday, 19th February, 11.30am – White Horse Inn, Woodbury Salterton (A3052 Sidmouth Road)
Our first social event of 2026 is an informal get-together and opportunity to chat over free coffee/tea and biscuits at the welcoming White Horse Inn. If you are able to stay on for lunch (at your own cost) there is an excellent choice of meals available. (Please give Peter or Barbara a call if you do intend to stay on for lunch, so we can give them an approximate idea of numbers.)
AGM Luncheon – Tuesday 17th March (AGM from 11.00am) 12.45pm
The Annual General Meeting will be followed by lunch at the cost to members of £15.00, being well subsidised from Club funds.
We have again opted for a Carvery meal with a choice of four meats OR vegetarian alternatives. This means that members will need to collect their food from the Carvery counter. Staff will be on hand to carry plates to your tables if required. We will not be serving wine, etc at the table so any drinks you wish to have, please purchase at the bar.
Please complete and return the enclosed booking form with your food choices and payment by 3rd March, please.
It would be appreciated if everyone would join us for the short AGM and Presentation, but if you are only able to come along for the lunch, then please don’t forget to complete and return the booking form with your payment.
BACS details:
Sort Code : 20-30-47
Account Number : 10138878
Account Name : Exeter Spread Eagle Club
Free Cream Tea – Fri 24th April at 3.00pm – Hartnoll Hotel, Bolham, Tiverton EX16 7RA
Please advise Barbara or Peter by Wednesday 15th April if you are able to attend – we need to give numbers for ordering the scones!
Future dates for your diary:
Friday, 3rd June – Spring Lunch at The Belmont Hotel, Sidmouth
Full details and booking form for this event in the Spring Newsletter.
Thursday, 3rd December Christmas Lunch at The Victoria Hotel, Sidmouth
Full details and booking form in Autumn Newsletter
We also intend having another Cream tea in July, a theatre visit in August and are investigating a possible river boat trip for September before repeating our Pub Lunch in October. Further details in our Spring Newsletter.
Peter Johnson
Committee Member
peteraj@talktalk.net
01297 599086