By Peter Parkinson
First published in Inter-Comm 12-3 – Spring 2003
We are all vaguely aware that our Club has been in existence for something like 12 to 15 years, but very few of us remember or are aware of the sequence of events in detail. As unofficial Archivist of the Club, I have a box of documents relating to the years 1989 – 1991 that is before I was first elected to the board in 1992. These leave no doubt that the Club was founded in 1989, but precisely which event should be called the birthday of the Club is perhaps a matter of opinions-between February and November 1989.
During October and November 1988 tea meetings were held under the auspices of the inner wheel, and chaired by Kerstin Walker, to work out a preliminary idea of what a proposed International Club of Andorra might do. On January 10th 1989, at a meeting in the Hostel Valira, a steering committee was formed, consisting of Kerstin Walker, Doreen Woollen, Inge Millar, Homa Hughes and Emyr Hughes. One week later Alan Hartree accepted the office of Honorary President, a meeting with a lawyer was arranged to draw up the necessary documents, and the first Wednesday coffee morning took place at 10.30 am, in the Hostel Valira.
In the cause of February 1989 there was a meeting Group leader to determine times activities, and first luncheon was held at the Hostel Valira with 79 members and guests present. In March arrangements were made with the Comu of Escaldes-Engordany for activities to begin there in two rooms, to start at the beginning of April.
Ten Groups or Mini Clubs were set up:
Art – Kelly Gravely
Music – Rene de Knight
Wine Tasting – Alan Coatesworth
Cookery – Rita Gee
Helpline – Doreen Woollen
Naturalists – Jacquie Crozier
Bridge/Tennis – Marjore Temple
Languages – Kerstin Walker
Drama – Audray Darmara
Computers – James Cruckshank
Many of these groups are still in existence.
The first dinner was held on March 29th 1989. A luncheon or dinner/dance was held each month from April to November 1989. Committee meetings were held on the fourth Monday of each Month: the minutes still exist.
The Government of Andorra gave its approval to the Constitution of the Club, drawn up in Catalan and translated into English by Alan Ward, in September 1989. Elections were held on 30th November 1989, at which the following board members were elected.
Governing Board:
President: Alan Hartree
Vice Presidents: Roser Duro i Ribes & Kerstin Walker
Secretary: Pili Arlones i Valles
Treasurer: Inge Miller
Committee Members: Rene de Knight, Jacquie Crozier, Andre Slatter, Robert Kroos.
101 Club Members took part in the elections.
Towards the end of 1989 the list of paid-up members contained 199 names 296 persons, of whom so far as I have been able to ascertain, 60 names and 83 persons are still members late 2002, that is about 30% of the earlier total.
Kerstin Walker is believed to be the only one of the Board elected in Nov. 1989 who is still a Member of the Club. When this article was published in October 2015, Kerstin Walker is still Member of the Club.
Peter Parkinson is the only present Board member who was on the first list of paid-members.
The first issue of Inter-Comm came out February 1990, considering of 6 duplicated pages put together by Jacquie Crozier. The first issue with advertising and between colour-printed cover came out autumn 1991, with Jacquie Crozier and Tony Hooper as editors. It was printed by Impremta Envalira.
Let us look forward to our 25th Anniversary!
Peter Parkinson
First published Inter-Comm 12-3 Spring 2003
