Past RoCo Newsletters
Originally Distributed to the Membership
Below is a selection of past RoCo Newsletter's, written by committee members, that were distributed to the membership to keep them informed on upcoming events and shows of the time.
October 1987
by Sheila Telfer
Dear RoCo Member, Here we are, already into October - a very busy time for us all. We can report upon a very successful 25th Anniversary Dinner which was held on 5th September at Bogington Hall and attended by 60 past and present members. It was a real pleasure to see so many old friends and the evening passed too quickly as a great deal of reminiscing went on! On this occasion the title of Honorary Vice-President was conferred on both Brian and Gwen Langford in recognition of their long service to RoCo.
The next social event on our calendar was the St Andrews' Harvest supper and social which was hosted by RoCo, with help from the Andreas, on Saturday 26th September with a very good attendance for what turned out to be an entertaining evening.
The main business in hand is, of course, our pantomime which at the last count boasted a cast of 38 with many more helping out behind the scenes. We still URGENTLY need volunteers to serve teas and Front of House Stewards on performance nights. More helpers for stage crew are also needed for the few weeks leading up to an on the performance nights. Please contact Joan Morley if you can help with teas, Robert Morley if you would be able to help out as a steward and Brian Langford for stage crew. The exciting news is that advance interest suggests that we shall be oversubscribed for tickets and we have therefore taken the decision to hold an extra performance on Wednesday 11th November. The pantomime will now run from Wednesday 11th November until Saturday 14th November.
Because of the interest that has been showed by the youth organisations we have decided to offer 10% reduction on all party bookings of 20 persons and over. If you would like to bring a party, please let Gwen Langford know as soon as possible as we can plan to allocate certain areas of the auditorium for parties to sit together. The Box Office opens on Sunday 11th October at 12 noon in the Creche so please book early to avoid disappointment!
Looking beyond the pantomime (which is not easy at the moment) we plan to hold our New Year party on Saturday 16th January 1988, so please keep that date clear. Further details will be available nearer the time.
Two dates have been booked for play readings. The first is Monday 23rd November and the second is Monday 7th December. Time and venue of these meetings will be displayed on the RoCo noticeboard.
Best wishes, Sheila Telfer.

April 1988
by Sheila Telfer
Dear RoCo Member, Here we are once again, approaching another A.G.M. and with yet another production under our belts. I'm sure that all who saw Doreen Galbraith's production of 'Murder By The Book' would wish to congratulate her and everyone involved for another excellent effort. The only disappointment was the number of unsold tickets on the Thursday and Friday nights. If anyone has any ideas why this was so, or can suggest a remedy for the future, the committee would be very interested to hear from them.
The date of this year's A.G.M. is 16 May at 7:30pm in the Margaret Fullerton Room, when we hope for a large attendance. Agendas and nomination forms will soon be circulated and we hope that more members will seriously consider standing for the committee this year.
A play reading has been arranged for the evening of 23rd May at 7:30pm in the Margaret Fullerton Room.
Three social events have been planned for the summer months, the first on 11th June is a bar-b-que at the home of Elizabeth and Tom Hayes. The others are on 23rd July and 13th August and their venues will be announced at a later date.
We can also give you early notice of the Harvest Supper on 24th September. This event will be organised by RoCo as a FRED fund-raiser and we hope for a high level of support from members. Anyone prepared to assist in the preparation of this event, whether in catering, serving or helping to set up the hall on the day, please contact any committee member.
Because of the number of fund-raising events planned within St Andrews this year, the committee has decided not to hold an annual dinner in 1988, but we are already looking at various venues with 1989 in mind and hope to make a booking fairly soon.
The dates for our Autumn production are booked for 17th, 18th & 19th November, but the committee is looking at the possibility of mounting a family-style show which would attract a large number of children and we may find it necessary to extend these dates. More news of this soon.
Thank you all for your support this year. Yours sincerely, Sheila Telfer.

December 1988
by Sheila Telfer
Dear RoCo Member, First of all my apologies for the lateness of this newsletter which was due in the Autumn, but we have all been rather busy of late! As you will no doubt know, our pantomime 'Aladdin' has been received with great enthusiasm and I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of Andrea and myself to thank everyone who helped us in any way to make the production such a success. A great deal of hard work was put in by the cast and backstage workers alike and a marvellous team spirit made it a very worthwhile effort. Financially too the production, which played to 5 full houses, was very successful enabling us to make a substantial donation to FRED. Video copies of 'Aladdin' will soon be available and I propose to put a list on the noticeboard for people to place their orders.
It is hoped that our play readings on 5th and 12th December will yield a suitable play for our Spring production which is scheduled for 16th-18th March 1989. Auditions will be held at 7:30pm on Thursday 5th January 1989, in the Roundhay Room when we look forward to a large attendance.
Socially two events have so far been planned. Firstly our New Year party will be held in the Memorial Hall on Saturday 14th January 1989 at 7:30pm and will have a Dickensian theme. The cost will be £2 for adults and £1 for children and tickets will soon be available from Peter Morley or through any committee member. Secondly our annual dinner has been booked for Saturday 22nd April 1989 at the Log Cabin, Garforth. Further details will be available nearer to the time, but we ask members to note the date in their diaries.
Finally may I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Yours sincerely, Sheila Telfer.

February 1990
by Ian McKenzie
Dear RoCo Member, Several things have happened since the last Newsletter in September. The chief event was our 50th production, 'The Importance of Being Earnest'. This somewhat ambitious project went off very well, thanks to the devoted efforts of the members of RoCo. The audiences enjoyed themselves thoroughly and so did everyone involved with the production.
The New Year party, with its American theme, was another well supported and happy occasion. The next social event now being planned is the RoCo Annual Dinner. The date is Saturday 28th April at Harlow Carr Gardens, Harrogate. The recently opened Garden Room Restaurant there will male a pleasant venue. The price will be £7 each and you can book your place by contacting Peter Morley.
The AGM will take place on Monday 14 May in the Margaret Fullerton Room. Further information will be provided soon.
The dates have been set for three summer social gatherings. These are June 23rd, July 21st and August 11th.
Our next production is on 22nd-24th March with a Saturday matinee. Attempts to choose a play for this ran into trouble early in the year when we found it impossible to cast the plays we were considering. A brilliant piece of lateral thinking led us to the idea of a revue, 'The RoCo Follies'. Written by the successful team who gave us 'Cinderoco' and 'Aladdin', the show is set to be a hit. We shall, of course, need help and support in many departments.
In the last Newsletter I mentioned the renewal of the front stage curtains. Cleaning proved to be an unsatisfactory option and the committee has now decided to replace the curtains altogether. We plan to have the new once in place ready for 'The RoCo Follies'.
Yours sincerely, Ian McKenzie.

May 1990
by Ian McKenzie
Dear RoCo Member, Our venture into revue with 'The RoCo Follies' proved a great success. Everybody, audience and company alike, thoroughly enjoyed themselves. For those who did not manage to see 'The Follies', and that includes most of the cast and backstage team, we are showing a video on Thursday, 17 May at 7:30pm in the Margaret Fullerton Room. Tea and scones will be provided and there will be a collection for Christian Aid.
This years AGM is on Monday 14 May and you will be receiving the usual formal notice. Please give your attention to nominations to the committee. Stella Tinsdale and Sheila Telfer are both standing down after many years service and replacements are needed. We are grateful for the efforts Sheila and Stella have put into the society and I am glad that they will still be active members.
I am very pleased that the RoCo Dinner at Harlow Car was such a happy occasion with thirty three friends present. During the summer we are planning a series of barbecues, the first on Saturday 23rd June. RoCo's social life goes merrily on!
The committee has chosen 'The Murder Room', a comedy for the Autumn play. It is a play that we have wanted to do for some time and at last we are poised to have a go at it. John Haywood is producing the play for us. Auditions are being arranged for some time in June and further details will be announced soon.
Yours sincerely, Ian McKenzie.

October 1990
by Ian McKenzie
Dear RoCo Member, The summer is over and rehearsals of 'The Murder Room' are going well. The play is not easy for either the cast and producer or stage crew but the difficulties are being tackled with the usual RoCo enthusiasm and competence. I am sure this production is going to be great fun for RoCo and a hilarious night out for our audiences. The dates are 22nd, 23rd and 24th November.
We had three barbecues during the summer hosted by Andrea and Chris, Sheila and Stewart, and Joan and Peter. All were enjoyable events and two of them were blessed with excellent weather.
Although it was intended that the Harvest Supper in September would be run by some other Church organisation, once again RoCo got the job. We have to thank those members whose hard work made it such a happy occasion.
Junior RoCo has restarted after the holidays with continued enthusiasm. The children are now working on a series of playlets to be performed at the Junior Church Christmas Party.
We are sorry to hear that Roy Harding is in St James's Hospital with a broken leg after being knocked down by a car.
Lidgett Park Methodist Church drama group is to present 'The Vigil' during Holy Week (the last week in March) next year. 'The Vigil' is a powerful play about the resurrection and was presented by RoCo fifteen years ago. The play will be performed on Wednesday 27th March and, if there is enough interest, on Monday and Tuesday also. Nearer the time, Doreen will see if she can arrange for a group to go from St Andrew's.
Finally, about our next year's annual dinner. We were so pleased with the Garden Restaurant at Harlow Car when we went there in April that the committee has booked the same venue. For your diary then, Saturday 13th April, 7:00 for 7:30.
Yours sincerely, Ian McKenzie.

February 1991
by Ian McKenzie
Dear RoCo Member, 'The Murder Room' turned out to be as successful as we had hoped. John Haywood in his first production for RoCo managed to make the most of a script that had great potential for imaginative direction. It was clear that the cast had a thoroughly good time performing the play. The stage construction and sound and lighting effects were exactly what was needed and the result was a cheerfully crazy entertainment. Our audiences went home happy and our treasurer was pleased with the financial result.
No sooner was 'The Murder Room' over than we had to make plans for the Spring play. It was our ambition to present a serious play and, after some frantic activity, we decided on 'The Heiress'. The play is set in the 1880's and is based onHenry James' novel 'Washington Square'. Doreen Galbraith is the producer and rehearsals are going well. We are happy to welcome two new members to the cast; Christine Limb and Peter Martin. You will be interested to know that the presentation of the play coincides with the visit of our friends from St Andrew's twin church in Frankenthal. We have hopes of playing to an international audience!
A reminder that Lidgett Park Methodist Church is performing 'The Vigil' on Wednesday 27th March.
The RoCo New Year party was held on 19th January, with the usual sit-down meal and programme of games and dances. It was a family occasion and the children had a splendid time. We owe thanks to all who put in the effort to make the evening go so well. It was a pity that Joan Morley, who convened the sub committee, was ill on the actual night.
Roy Harding is now home from hospital after his road accident but still has his leg in plaster.
We are saddened by the death on 6th December of Basil Butcher. From the time he and Marjorie came to St Andrew's, Basil took an active part in RoCo's affairs as an actor, producer and committee member. Our sympathy is with Marjorie.
Finally a reminder that the RoCo Annual Dinner will be held on Saturday April 13th. At Harlow Car garden.
Yours sincerely, Ian McKenzie.

July 1991
by Ian McKenzie
Dear RoCo Member, 'The Heiress' is a fading memory but even now we can remember it as another of RoCo's more ambitious attempts which came off really well. The Annual Dinner held again at Harlow Car gardens was well attended and reported as a good do. We are now into our summer programme of social events, the first of which was a very pleasant barbecue at Chris and Andrea's on 8 June. The next barbecue is to be hosted by Joan and peter Morley on Saturday 20 July. Tickets will be available soon. The August social is at Margaret and Peter Jowett's on the 17th. Get yourselves lined up to attend these events!
The St Andrew's Harvest Supper, organised for several years by RoCo, is in other hands this year. The church catering committee is providing the meal and the social programme will be arranged by Jill and Brian Marston. RoCo has a relatively minor role in seeing to the drinks.
At the AGM on 29 May there were some changes in office-bearers. Peter Morley has retired after sixteen years of valuable service as Treasurer. His successor is Adrian Widdowson. Adrian's position of Vice-Chairman has been filled by Sheila Telfer. We must also mention Pauline Askwith who retired as our Honorary Auditor after doing this job since RoCo started.
We are already looking forward to our Autumn production. This year we are again staging a pantomime written and produced, as were the previous ones, by Sheila and Andrea. It promises to be good. As I write, auditions are in progress. The dates are Wednesday 27 to Saturday 30 November, with a matinee performance on Saturday. The presentation has been scheduled a week later than usual so that the last night falls on St Andrew's Day, making the occasion part of the church's celebration of St Andrews tide. The pantomime also gives us the opportunity of joining forces with Junior RoCo.
This summer three of our members are celebrating their 80th birthdays. John Galbraith was 80 on 29 June, Stella Tinsdale will have her birthday on August 11 and Lillian Parker's is on the following day. We offer our congratulations and warmest wishes to these friends.
Yours sincerely, Ian McKenzie.
Return To Articles