Newsletter September 2024

Our Chair, Director Jackie and her Husband and our Treasurer David celebrated their Ruby Wedding Anniversary on 25th August 2024

Originally brought up in Pratts Bottom in the London Borough of Bromley and attending the same primary school, David and Jackie first became friends in the local amateur dramatic group. Their first panto together was Sinbad The Sailor, followed by roles in the powerful stage version of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.

Here they are playing Angela and Tony in that searing suburban comedy/drama Abigail’s Party in 1982.

After marrying in 1984, they continued to perform togther in panto and drama. Here in Dick Whittington – in early 1990s.

Jackie and David moved to Loddon in 1998. She joined Loddon Players and her first role was as Toxaemia in Jack and The Bean Stalk in 1999.

After a short break when her children Josh and Ellie were very young, Jackie continued in panto and in summer play productions, eventually to become our resident Director for the majority of productions in recent years. Now as Chair, she has been joined as Treasurer by David who, in recent productions has returned to the stage.

Maureen says this about Jackie

“Jack of all trades..Master of None” is a well known phrase, but I want to pay tribute to our own “Jackie of all trades…Master of MANY”. ( should be Mistress of many ,but I didn’t want to give her a false reputation🤣)

Jackie  joined Loddon Players in 1998 and her first role in Panto was in Jack & the Beanstalk  in 1999, when she played the part of Toxaemia, the right-hand woman of the Giant, and she certainly scared many of the youngsters in the audience.

During the following years in Panto Jackie’s roles have been Soraya, Little John, Aladdin, Dick Whittington, Fairy Forget Me Not, a Panda, Velcro, Voice of the Mirror, a Soldier and a Chorus member. Her other roles have included Director, Additions to Script, Set Design &  Creation, Stage Manager, Stage Crew, Prompt and Make-up. At many of the Pantos she carried out all these roles at the same time. She also excelled in the many parts she played in our numerous plays.

Despite her many family commitments, Jackie has remained constant and committed to the Players. She has been our Treasurer, Vice-Chair ,Chair and Committee member and has hosted many of our committee meetings at her home. Plus she is always a voluntary presence on our stall at the many fundraising events in the town,and devotes lots of time sorting out and tidying the costumes stored on the balcony at Lecture Hall.

I regard Jackie as one of the most multi talented people to ever join the Loddon Players, and we are so lucky that she and David moved from Pratts Bottom and found us.

Finally I would add that I have admired Jackie from the very first moment that’s she joined the Players,and those words come from my heart.

I would like to record my personal congratulations to Jackie & David on celebrating their Ruby Wedding Anniversary on 25th August and the recent birth of their grandson Eric.”