Roger served as Guild Warden back in 1973, and sitting down with our Principal, Paula Riordan, and Chair of the Charity, Janet Douglas, was far more than a nostalgic reunion, it was a meeting of two eras bound by the same purpose.

Flipping through an issue of Cheshire Life from January 1973, we are reminded of just how vibrant the Wilmslow community was during Roger’s tenure. In those days, local commuters would dash home from Manchester, grab a quick bite, and head straight to our evening classes. Roger and his wife Pat ran a thriving hub of over 1,700 members studying everything from fencing to fly-tying. That vintage feature even captured a wonderful photograph of Roger dropping in on our Folk Guitar class.

As Roger shared a coffee with Paula and Janet, the conversation naturally returned to the foundational vision we established when we first opened our doors back in 1926: “To provide a centre in which people may find opportunities for the enrichment of life through education, fellowship and co-operative effort for the welfare of the community.” Standing side-by-side with today’s leadership, Roger was able to see firsthand how that founding spirit continues to flourish as we celebrate our milestone.

While our course provision, technology, and name have evolved over the last century, this unique encounter between our past warden and current principal proved that our core identity remains unchanged. From 1926 to 1973, and right here in 2026, we remain dedicated to advancing adult education, improving health and wellbeing, reducing social isolation, and bringing people together. Passing the torch from leaders like Roger to Paula and her team ensures that our home for fellowship and learning will continue to thrive for the next hundred years.