The Story of Oakley

Oakley Holidays 90th Anniversary Year

Established in 1919
Registered Charity No. 1093381
Limited Company No. 4487467

The Story of Oakley 1919 – 2009
a new book by Lewis Kent

To coincide with the 90th Anniversary of the Oakley Holidays a new book has been published which tells the story of Oakley …. so far.

The author is Lewis Kent who first attended an Oakley Holiday in 1965 and is now a Trustee and Treasurer of the Holidays. He was awarded an M.B.E. by the Queen in 2007 in recognition of his work for Oakley.

In writing the book Lewis has drawn on opinions, recollections, photographs and information provided a large number of those who have attended and still attend the Holidays as well as his personal knowledge of Sunny Henderson and ‘Eggs’ Willis’ who ran the first Holiday at Ardingly in the summer of 1919.

Birmingham publisher Bob Weaver, a former Oakley attender and a school friend of Lewis, has lent his expertise to the style, lay–out and format of the book.

In the ‘Story of Oakley’ there are 16 short chapters, each illustrated with a large number of photographs, both in black and white and colour, of people, events and venues from the past 90 years of Oakley Holidays.

Copies of ‘The Story of Oakley’ can be obtained from Lewis Kent at 146, Farmlea Road, Paulsgrove, Portsmouth PO6 4SQ


Lewis with Peter Downes, Chairman of the Oakley Trustees	Lewis with book publisher Bob Weaver

Other 90th anniversary celebrations

Easter holiday - April
Various activities throughout the week

Oakley Hall Concert - July 11th 2009
A concert in the chapel of the holidays' base from 1940-70

Summer holiday - August
Various activities thorughout the week

90th anniversary celebration - September 12th 2009
Service at Carrs Lane Center, Birmingham

group
Summer Holiday 2009 - 90th year

group
First party in 1919

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