The chairman and trustees of Exeter Church Charities held a special celebration at the Lethbridge almshouses on Friday 15th July, to commemorate Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and to honour and celebrate 25 years’ service by Alderman John Landers as a trustee.

One hundred guests attended the garden party which was blessed with warm weather. Residents, representatives from other almshouse charities, members of Alderman Lander’s family and many friends all shared and enjoyed the day. Honoured guests included Alderman Landers and his wife Stella, The Right Worshipful The Lord Mayor of Exeter, Councillor Yolonda Henson and her Consort, Mr David Henson.

The chairman of Exeter Church Charities, Alderman Norman Shiel opened the proceedings with a warm welcome and, paying tribute to Alderman Landers, he reminded the assembled guests that Alderman Landers had been the dynamic leader of Exeter City Council for most of the 1980s. Reminiscing on his personal qualities, he said that Alderman Landers was

‘a person totally committed to the greater good of the community he served.’

He also recollected that, in the Council Chamber, Alderman Landers

‘was someone who could be totally disarming with his sharp wit but, at the same time, embrace you with the warmth of what he followed on to say’.

The Lord Mayor was then called upon and spoke kindly of 50 years of friendship with Alderman Landers. She acknowledged him as a kind and sincere man, who had been part of the inspiration for her own political views. Alderman Landers responded with a word of thanks and then, assisted by some of his greatgrandchildren, took part in a mulberry tree planting ceremony.

Another of the Trustees, the Reverend Simon Austen said a prayer of thanks for Alderman Landers’ many years of service to the community and asked for God’s continued blessing on his life. He also quoted from Jeremiah ch 17 in the Bible

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

He presented a New Testament and Psalms to Alderman Landers, which is the first of a 1,000 copies to be distributed by Good News for Everyone (formerly the Gideons) later in the year; this was particularly poignant, as Alderman Landers was involved with the local Scout movement in his earlier years, having also been a King’s Scout himself.

The Surveyor and Clerk to the Trustees, Mr Andrew Crossley, then took the opportunity to individually thank the property team for looking after the Charity’s properties so well and the Lord Mayor presented each of them with a small gift from the Trustees. The assembled throng sang a hearty rendition of the National Anthem and Alderman Shiel proposed a toast and three cheers for her Majesty the Queen. This was swiftly followed by a toast to Alderman Landers and three more mighty cheers. Mrs Ann Bird and Ms Christine Bye then presented two beautiful bouquets of flowers on behalf of the Charity’s residents to the Lord Mayor and Alderman Landers.

Once the formal parts of the proceedings were brought to a close by the Chairman, the guests were cordially invited to partake in a sumptuous buffet lunch, including a good variety of quality sandwiches, sausage rolls, quiches and cakes, all washed down by more cold glasses of prosecco and jugs of sparkling elderflower cordial.

Alderman John Landers was a councillor representing the Pinhoe ward for over 40 years and made great contributions to the City of Exeter, particularly during his time as the Leader of Council and also the City’s Mayor in 1976. In addition, he has served as a governor of Exeter School for over 30 and as a governor of St Nicholas Primary School for many years, representing the Catholic community. Exeter Church Charities is a collection of smaller Exeter Charities, with 18 almshouses on two sites: Lethbridges and Flayes.