Leighton Buzzard National Women’s Register celebrates 50th anniversary

Their wish has finally come true – more than a year late – for the Leighton Buzzard National Women’s Register (NWR).

The group has planted a tree alongside a busy footpath in Pages Park to commemorate the 50th anniversary of its founding in 1970.

The ceremony was originally due to take place in March last year but has been postponed since then because of the coronavirus pandemic. Lockdown restrictions continued to play a part in limiting the number who could attend the planting of a lime tree with a commemorative plaque.

Members of the group in the picture at the ceremony are, from left: Heather de Lacey, Rita Priestley, Ruth Roy, and Nicky Gaulton. Ruth was the driving force behind the project, working with the council to ensure that, no matter how belatedly, the tree planting would finally go ahead.

Unlike many organisations, Leighton Buzzard NWR group have seen an increase in membership during the pandemic, with half a dozen new members joining in the past year.

“We are a very lively group and thanks to the enthusiasm of our members we have maintained a full programme of meetings, discussion groups and quizzes,” said local organiser Heather De Lacey.

The town council, who will receive a donation from the NWR group, requested the planting of a lime tree to replace one in an avenue of limes that had died and needed replacing.