Page 13 - TH_News_181

walk in 1990 and some We packed them in Colin’s kitchen
were in fancy dress. In and had fish and chips afterwards.
fact, Colin was a ballerina, When we had the Sponsored Walk in
dressed in a yellow outfit. Roundhay Park we had all different
I think that because they kinds of stalls, (an emporium, cake
had had their hearts repaired stall, plant stall etc.) and we invited the
they would look at life being “now” Lord Mayor of Leeds. Colin was always
and “there to be lived to the full”. A there early and arranged the various
Take Heart monthly walking club was things that were happening. He had
formed which lasted until 2019. The arranged for us to be sponsored by
walks proved very popular, especially M&D Foods, who always brought a
when Colin came around egging big wagon which they parked up near
everybody on. our stalls with a pianist on the back.
We also used the wagon as a stage to
They decided on a “once and for all”
payment for membership of £1.50 – speak to the people there.
and that remains until this day. Colin In the early years we didn’t use the
would argue that this small payment mansion, apart from using the toilet
was one of their better moves and facilities. We also use to have “a
so it was proved to be when the club celebrity you know”, for example a
membership continued to increase. Look North newsreader or similar from
Colin had now moved from Secretary ITV. Unfortunately, over the years the
to Chairman, a position he held until number of members and their families
his retirement. The Take Heart charity became less and less. Who knows,
went from strength to strength and maybe they will come back after
early in its formation started having Covid?
a few days away around Christmas Colin spent a lot of time at the LGI
time. These trips were fabulous and and was very well liked – I could even
one year we would go to the East say loved. He was a tireless worker for
Coast and the following year to the Take Heart and gave a lot of his time to
West Coast. We had our own Father the charity. In October 2002 Colin was
Christmas (ordered specially), we awarded the MBE by HM The Queen
played games (table tennis, dominoes, in Buckingham Palace. It was only in
darts and pool) or we made our own the last couple of years that his health
entertainment.
started to fail and he retired from
We continued to fund raise and our Take Heart, becoming our Chairman
Sponsored Walk and Christmas Draw Emeritus, a position he held until his
th
became regular fund raisers. We had death on 7 April 2022.
Newsletters but in the beginning Take Heart was Colin and Colin was
they were typed and copied, then Take Heart. Rest in Peace mate.
we packed them into envelopes and
distributed them to our members. Alec McLean, Treasurer

13