EARLY HISTORY

On 7th December 1988 the Inaugural Meeting of Radley Pensioners' Association (the original name for the Radley Retirement Group) was held in the Church Room, chaired by the late Joy Alexander (who initiated the founding of the Association) and attended by 18 other people. The meeting was addressed by the President of the Abingdon Branch of the National Federation of Retirement Pensioners' Associations. In January 1989 the Radley Pensioners' Association was established, affiliated to the National body, in succession to the Darby and Joan Club, which had been disbanded. 41 people joined at the first meeting. A 'starter' grant of £50 was received from the Vale of White Horse District Council to help get the Association off the ground. A constitution was agreed, a Chairman and Officers were appointed, and financial arrangements set up. Initially the Association's monthly meetings were held in the Church Room but by October 1989 the membership had risen to 69 and had outgrown the facilities there, so from early 1990 the monthly meetings, and also the Committee meetings, have been held in the Village Hall. In December 1990 the Association discontinued its affiliation to the National Federation of Retirement Pensioners' Associations as it was felt that the National body was basically a pressure group for pensioners whereas the Radley members were mainly interested in social activities. In the same month the Radley Pensioners' Association changed its name to its present name of the 'Radley Retirement Group'.