In February of 1949, the then Health visitor of Wheatley Hill, Nurse Boyes, approached some mothers at the children's clinic to see if anyone was interested in starting a women's group for mothers to have a night away from the family among like minded women. As this was just after the war, these woman had been through very hard times With rationing, austerity and bringing up their families alone as their husbands were away in the war.

The idea to them was a real treat to spend time on their own away from their families and all of the hard work that went with them in those days. So they decided to start the Wheatley Hill Mothers Club. Twelve members started the group, the venue being the Scouts Hut behind the Front street. They formed a committee with officials and wrote rules and regulations which were agreed by the members.

Programmes were arranged throughout the year and for the time they were very forward thinking with what they did. The minutes were read at the beginning of each meeting and every member could have their say on the running of the club. Then the social side would start with many programmes of fun and speakers of an educational value.

Within the year the women had taken over the running themselves and Nurse Boyes would become an honorary member. The Scouts Hut was a small tin hut built to house the Scouts association and had no mod cons. The women carried sticks and coal to light the big pot-bellied stove which stood in one corner of the room to keep them warm in the winter nights. They made curtains for the bare room and made it a pleasant place to come to.

They found what talents each member had and used them to the clubs advantage. The club began to grow and they found that they had outgrown their first venue, and moved to the Welfare Hall, where the rent went from 10/- per week to £2.00 As the club became more successful, Mrs. Powell, who is now our President and Nurse Boyes visited other villages in the area and opened other Mothers Clubs. There are still a few of these clubs still active. Thornley, Wingate. Shotton and Fishburn. They also went to Barley Mow where Nurse Boyes lived.

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