The  Steering  Committee

Chairman    Bill Acworth         Secretary    Barbara Simmonds         Treasurer      Bobby Winser

Members

Robin Kellow             Kate Little                    Jim Kerley             Tom Bailey
Colin Graham            Richard Kingsbury     Sue Acworth         Anne Honeybone
Mary Talbot               Colin Clare                   John Wilson          Sheila Wilson
Angela Pomroy

The first meeting was on 1^st June 1977 and an early decision was to appoint a Management Committee, namely:

Chairman –   Bill Acworth
Secretary –   Barbara Simmonds
Treasurer  –   Bobby Winser
Links Coordinator   –   Angela Pomroy
Office Manager     –   John Wilson
Richard Kingsbury
Sheila Wilson (Consultant member).

There were also sub committees appointed to progress the work, although it is not clear whether these were appointed by the Steering Committee or by the Management Committee, probably the latter.

As will have been seen from the index, various aspects of CHAIN’s activities are reported on separately but in the first newsletter of the group, appropriately named CHAIN MAIL, there were two paragraphs summarising progress over the first year. They read:-

1^st Edition, CHAIN MAIL

Our infant, whatever else it may have (and we are aware of its many inadequacies), has two strong legs. One is the network of neighbourhood LINKS, the other is the central OFFICE  both are vital for any progress!  The Links, several in each of twelve local areas in the town, seek out people who have talents to offer and time to spare to help others, and they also try to discover what  people need by way of a helping hand.  The office, manned each morning by volunteers, co-ordinates supply and demand and is open for people to call in with requests for and offers of help.
The project is not just for the benefit of individuals.  It exists to serve also the many thriving organisations and – while not being party to any explicitly sectarian interest – works on the principle that CHAIN can be a clearing house and enabler for whatever our local organisations may need or may have to offer the local community.