I had an enjoyable but ultimately rather sad evening at the end of last week.
Almost 45 years ago, when I returned to Nottingham after some year's absence down South, I joined a mountaineering club with the joint purposes of pursuing my preferred pastime, and (re-)kindling a social life.
For some 8 or 9 years I was a very active member (ultimately joined by SWMBO who also shared the same interests), with nearly every other weekend throughout the year away somewhere in the UK.
I made some very good friends, a fair few of them lifetime ones, though the people I knew then are rather geographically dispersed now.
Ultimately, I moved out of Nottingham, had a family, and we became less active participants in the mid/late 80's, though continuing to meet up individually with friends for outings and occasions.
The club itself was founded in October '53 and, with now dwindling membership, the decision was made to wind things up on the 70th Anniversary. (Though people were still meeting for weekend walks and a weekly pint - and this will continue - the advantages of running a formal club were no longer relevant. Affiliated to the BMC, a good selection of Club "Huts" were bookable for winter weekends, and in my day it was not unusual to have parties of 30 or more making the trip to the Lakes or elsewhere for winter sessions. As of late, very few people have been interested in such and it's become logistically and financially non-viable. Browsing the web, ageing memberships with the lack of attracting younger members appears to be a pretty common theme, with a number of Clubs that owned huts I've used having been wound up over the last few years).
So, the Club was "liquidated" last month, with remaining funds being donated to a variety of deserving outdoor-related organisations.
....and, last week we had a "wake" in Nottingham. Attendees were from every generation of the Club, with those from mine being (slightly disappointingly) somewhat sparse. It has to be acknowledged that at least 4 good friends have "departed" this last 3 years, 2 of whom I was debarred from seeing on their way by Covid restrictions. That said, I made the re-acquaintance with a number of friends that I haven't seen from nigh-on 40 years (and slipped immediately back into the same, long-lasting friendships).
I was encouraged that, though I'm somewhat greyer and "chunkier" (I'll have you know I almost had a six-pack back in the day!) I was immediately recognised. On the other hand, I met a friend from Birmingham for a pub meal beforehand, and when we eventually made the meeting, another friend had to ask me in a quiet moment who he was! Given that I'd seen her (unexpectedly) two days before and confirmed he was coming with me, it was rather revealing. (much less hair, many more pounds). We were all very close years ago, and he'd even pranged her car after taking over driving on a snowy drive to Wales!
So, a mix of happy memories and sad thoughts about the demise - In my time, the club was like an extended family.
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