Dickens Fellowship has Great Expectations for open day

Date: 09/08/2012. Story submitted by: Gael Stigant

Submit a Comment

Share:

Actions:

Report this picture

• Name:
• Email address:
• Comments:
• Submit

She always hated Charles Dickens’ work at school.

But fast-forward a few decades, and Di Jones has become the secretary of the Sheffield Dickens Fellowship and has Great Expectations as she continues to digest the rest of his huge repertoire.

Di, of Crimicar Lane, Fulwood, said: “I always hated Dickens at school and I only went along to the fellowship because a friend was giving a talk.

“I only went to support her but I really liked it. I started looking at Dickens again as an adult and it was wonderful. Being made to read it at school is no fun and it’s boring when you’re a kid but as an adult it’s so enjoyable.”

Di has now been the secretary of the Sheffield Dickens Fellowship for five years and works closely with the chairman of four years, Sue Wormald.

The group, which was established in 1904, has about 35 members, the oldest of whom are two cousins in their 80s. They’ve been members since they were young adults and have always had a keen interest in Dickens because their great grandfather was Dickens’ tailor.

The fellowship meets every second Friday of the month at the Upper Chapel on Norfolk Street and focuses on a different novel each year. This year, to mark Dickens’ 200th birthday, they are reading David Copperfield, which is thought to be autobiographical.

Di said: “We discuss a novel through the year, take themes out of it and explore it.

“We’ve also been getting people to do readings for us. When things are very long you tend to skip to get to the plot. But when you hear it read, all the bits you’ve skipped you soak in and it makes an enormous difference.”

In addition to the readings and discussions, the group also takes occasional trips to the fellowship’s national headquarters in London, and take part in activities such as Victorian cookery classes and scouring car boot sales and charity shops for Dickens memorabilia.

On Saturday, the Sheffield Dickens Fellowship is hosting an open day at the Upper Chapel from 10.30am until 4.30pm. Readings from various works of Dickens will be given every half an hour and there will also be refreshments and displays.

For more information on how to get involved with the group, email Di on dilloydjones@googlemail.com or visit the link below.

Additional info

Address: Crimicar Lane Sheffield S10 4EF

Tags: Charles Dickens, Sheffield Dickens Fellowship, open day, Upper Chapel, Surrey Street

Web link: http://www.dickensfellowship.org/branches/sheffield