DIDCOT


Sunday lunch (12.15 pm)

Fleet Meadow Community Centre, Jubilee Way, Didcot,

Formed September 29, 1996



Founder members were Bill S, Richard S, Dougal, Alan, Val, Lawrence.

Bill writes “When I first came into the Fellowship in February 1996 I just could not put into words how I felt about this brand new way I was being shown how to live without a drink. I was at a meeting seven days a week - and why wouldn’t I be? - before that I was at the pub or drinking seven days a week! On Sundays I used to go to a lunch-time meeting in Caversham, outside Reading.

I had asked why Didcot hadn’t a meeting as a lot of people in the Fellowship lived there, and was told a Tuesday meeting had been tried but failed as it was ill attended; it was the same evening as Wantage only 8 miles away. “I saw a a gap for Sunday lunch-time and made some enquries via a County Councillor friend who came up with the Northbourne Community Centre in Church Street.

After drumming up support from other meetings we formed a committee and I booked the venue for one month in advance from Sunday, September 29, 1996. Thirteen people turned up and we had out first Conscience meeting - Val agreed to be secretary for 6 months, Alan to be treasurer. I opened up, did tea and coffee and got chairs for the meeting.

Sometimes - especially when there was a Convention on - our numbers dwindled to 3-4. Then when we were a year old we were told we could not have the hall for that day. Kit made some enquiries and came up with Fleet Meadow Community Centre and at a group Conscience Meeting we decided to move permanently.” The meeting is a Chair meeting - known in its early days as the Sweet Meeting.

Bill S. (February, 1999)