St Cuthbert’s Youth Club on a trip to Whitby, c.1966.
Mike Felton (far right).
This photo was taken on a day trip to Whitby with St Cuthberts Church Youth Club. On the journey back the bus stopped by the side of the road so that we could all stretch our legs. Tommy Harris, who lived in Fairburn Road, went to the back of the bus to take a pee, and was hit by a car. He broke his femur, which was sticking out through his thigh.
St. Cuthberts Church Youth Club was originally based at Robson Avenue Junior School on a Friday evening. It became a really important element of life from my early teens onwards, providing an opportunity to meet people from other schools in the area. The vicar, the Reverend Keith Woodhouse was a great believer in taking us to Youth Hostels around County Durham and Northumberland. An adult volunteer, Mr Hewitson, had an old ambulance which was converted to carry us all to pastures new! A favourite was The Phoenix Youth Hostel at Middleton in Teasdale. We spent many happy carefree weekends there. There was also a Church hostel in a little village called North Sunderland, which was up near Seahouses. Rumour had it that it was constructed by American servicemen during the Second World War.
In 1968 we were very adventurous and organised a holiday to North Wales. Again, staying in Youth Hostels. Most of us were seventeen and eighteen. We travelled to Colwyn Bay by train and stayed in the local Youth Hostel. On our first full day we walked to the Welsh Mountain Zoo and then down to the Lido in Rhos-on-Sea. I dived into the swimming pool and banged my head on the bottom. I tried to treat the pain by having a coffee and a burger! We walked back to the hostel where I promptly passed out as the local doctor was examining me. I was then taken by ambulance with police escorts up to Liverpool’s Walton Hospital, which housed the regions Neurological Department. I had an operation to remove a blood clot from my brain. I returned home with my flowing hippy locks shaved off, my sideboards left on and red eyes. What a sight I must have been!
Mike Felton