At Park Road Church 25 years ago we were blessed with a large Sunday School guided by good leadership, strong Girls' and Boys' Brigades with dedicated officers. There was a thriving Wives' Group, a popular Women's Mid-week Meeting, a good Ladies Fellowship, a Wesley Guild, all meeting on our premises. I always appreciated too the contribution to our worship given by our dedicated organists and choir members.

An annual 'red letter' week for our family was the B.B. & G.B. camps held in Dorset and N.Wales (Harlech), and other venues. As a family we had not previously been campers so the first occasion was something of an eye opener! It was quite a new experience for us to live in bell tents, squelch through the wet grass to the mess tent for meals and try to dry wet clothes in the camp kitchen – with the quartermaster's permission of course.

A musical treat one year (if not two) was the visit of the Black Dyke Mills Band. On a specially constructed strong wooden stage below the pulpit, they rehearsed for our delight (to a packed audience) some of the competition pieces they would be playing in the Albert Hall, London, for the Annual Brass Band Competition.

On a lighter note – not that the band's music was heavy! – I remember a certain jumble sale held one Saturday morning, which was as usual crowded out – with the police tipped off, just in case. When, to the relief of the helpers, it was eventually over, it was discoverfed that the carpet on the stage had somehow been spirited away. Nobody had seen it rolled up and taken out of the hall!!

May the future years for 'Park Road', be as greatly blessed by God as those of past years. We are sure, like us, you will Praise Him for all that is past, and Trust Him for all this is to come.

Every blessing on your celebration in 2005.

Yours

Paddy and Claude