Local Face: Diana Marshall
Moving to Wendover turned Diana Marshall into a commuter. Until 1996, she had always managed to work near home, walking or perhaps biking. Now that husband, Hugh, was going to a 5 year post in Wendover, they had to move but Diana didn’t want to change her job as staff worker and adviser at the citizens Advice Bureau, where she had worked for 23 years.
To start with Diana stayed in Morden during the week only living in Wendover at the weekends but when the house was finally sold, she came to live here and start the long journey every day to Marylebone and then two tube changes to the southern end of the Northern line. At first she observed her fellow travelers and found herself adopting many of their rituals (above all, don’t talk, read, on the way in), watching so many grey faced people sleeping, exhausted, on the way back, bereft of energy because the day is so long. Diana is thankful that the frequency of trains day and night has improved even during her short experience.
Those first few weekends in Wendover in January 1996 were great, though. This was the first move without children but with two eccentric dogs. Diana was keeping a very low profile, not even here in the week, while Hugh had a very high profile as Vicar of Wendover. It was a wonderful opportunity for them to spend some time together, exploring this unknown county of Buckinghamshire. They are both originally West Country people, who had lived in small places and worked in London all their lives so this was a completely different scene. Would the “natives’ be friendly? HOW did this place work? Diana’s worst fears were soon allayed. In fact, Wendover turned out not to be a homogeneous place. There is a vast spectrum of people from those whose families have lived here for generations to others who looked at Estate Agents all along the railway line from Marylebone and decided that getting off at Wend over seemed like a good idea. The interests of the people are diverse. For Diana, the particular joys are the library, the High street, which serves most needs including a real butcher, and walking. Now that the children have grown up, doggy friends take Diana in different directions – in the hills, woods, and fields or along the canal.
Having sold the house in Morden, Diana finally came to live in Wendover in July 1996. By then she was looking forward to it and it has not yet disappointed. Three months, of full time commuting was enough and she dropped her work days to only three per week and by March 1997 she had developed a Wendover routine including the Tuesday morning Keep Fit class at Wendover Memorial Hall which was just good fun, as well as the monthly Justice and Peace Lunches at Wendover Christian Centre. The commuting routine will stop in February 2001 when she does finally retire.
The Justice and Peace Lunches are a perfect example of how Wendover proved to be so different from previous communities. The local clergy of different denominations always know one another more or less but Diana and Hugh were both very excited about the work of Churches Together in Wendover, where so many things happen as a result of true partnership. On the first Tuesday of the month (every Tuesday during Lent) home-made soup and bread are served in Wendover Christian Centre and people contribute at least £2 for this excellent but simple fare. Diana is now on the rota for making the soup. This is not only a superb opportunity to meet members of all Wendover’s Churches and some money is raised which is periodically sent off to Third World concerns, often disaster funds for drought, famine or flood. Tradecraft products can also be bought.
Both Diana and Hugh have been aware of Third World concerns ever since they invited an African priest and his wife to their Wimbledon home while he studied. Rev and Mrs. Theo Naledi later moved from South Africa to Zimbabwe where he has been bishop of Matabeleland since 1987. (They visited Wendover in 1998.) Hugh’s visits led to the charity Matabeleland Church Linens which is an outlet for the sewing skills of some women in the Diocese using the locally grown cash crop, cotton. About once a month packages arrive from Africa and the goods are repackaged by Hugh for orders in this country. This is vital income for the women involved.
Meanwhile, Diana joined the Wendover Committee for Christian Aid, again organised jointly. Then Diana has surprised herself by become involved with Junior Church as part of the continuing movement to make Sunday morning Church services a family friendly experience. During her time in Wendover, her count of grandchildren has increased from 2 to 7 including twins so she is not short of experience. Equally, it is a joy to be in adult company for the musical experiences available locally, especially Wendover Music each summer.
Although Diana will retire from Morden, next year will see her taking up another new challenge. She has been appointed to the Board of Visitors at Bullingdon prison, near Bicester to start after Easter. We hope Diana and Hugh enjoy their last Christmas in Wendover.