Nineteen Oakley members from the Lytham area met on December 22nd to travel, for the fourth successive year, by train to Manchester for a busy and challenging reunion day together.

The first stop was the Friends’ Meeting House in Mount Street where a one hour session of Tai Chi was a brand-new and enjoyable experience for all. Our experienced and excellent tutor Sue Johnson took us through a warm-up and introductory routine whilst explaining the origins and philosophy of Tai Chi. Sustained hard work and concentration was needed and the whole experience was felt by everyone to be most worthwhile.

The continental market in Albert Square enabled everyone to replenish their energy levels with hot pork barms, cappuccino, crepes, Italian cheese, Black Forest gateau and 167 other delights ( not simultaneously) - before spending some personal time shopping, going high on the Manchester Eye or looking for Christiano Ronaldo in King Street.

We met up again at The Library Theatre which was full for the matinee performance of ‘Great Expectations’. Our group was mightily impressed by the sheer creativity of the production, especially the set design, as a cast of eight effortlessly created what seemed like dozens of Dickens’ characters. It was certainly the best play we have seen in our four visits to Manchester

Then across the road to Pizza Express where the helpful service and tasty food contributed to a relaxed atmosphere as we caught up with Oakley news and looked ahead to the Holidays in 2009. Bears and Crème Eggs were handed out to top contributors to the autumn’s Oakley communications as well as the traditional Lytham wooden spoon.

We collected in £50 to support a charity in which one of the Lytham group will be involved in the next 12 months. The usual jam-packed train from Oxford Road took us back Preston after a very happy day, full of the Oakley spirit.

Those attending: Chris and Nick Searing, Laura and Ed Bury, Helen and Richard Leigh, Vicky and Ellie Taylor, Chris Vernazza, Chris Roberts, Chris Fox, Julian Wilde, Will and Lucy Blundell, Chris Kelly, Kenji King, David Auty, Matthew Edgar, Frankie Ball