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Beginnings

Miss Welby was evacuated from London in 1940, and went to live in a small village called Preston Bisset, and worked for a local tailor, sewing.
Miss Welby answered an advert in the local paper, to teach handicrafts to handicapped children, placed by The Voluntary Association for Mental Welfare, which was a charity. She was engaged to visit the homes of 2 children, to teach them handicrafts 1 hour per week. 1 at Hillsdon and 1 at Padbury. After a while she acquired 2 more clients and used to ride her bicycle to each of their homes.

In 1953 Miss Welby was able to secure a room at The Old Workhouse in Buckingham for two and a half days per week. It was a dirty room , but the parents were grateful to the group for the help they were receiving.
Bit by bit the group increased to 12, ranging in age from 4yrs- 36yrs. The time was increased to 3 days per week. At first everyone took sandwiches but eventually were provided with school dinners.
Miss Eva Welby
David Bloxham was one of the original children in Miss Welby's. These photographs show Richard Cotton at 7 years old and him now. Both Richard and David were the two children Miss Welby taught handicafts to back in 1950.
Colin Stanton outside the work house Brian Gunthorpe RIP
Colin Stanton
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