A somewhat older than average lady friend of mine has recently been expelled from the local WSD club - in the nastiest way possible. She had been a loyal member for over 30 years. She was well known and liked. The group was active and supported by a number of local and guest callers. She also participated in the 'duties' of making tea and serving refreshments. She was also a keen ECD dancer and also a step and clog dancer.

But I couldn't go with her to Saturday night dances because I hadn't been certificated or to my mind certified. When we went to Boston in the US some years' back we visited a local WSD club - but I wasn't allowed to join in. I sat out for the whole evening. Nice welcome - not.

Whilst in Boston she was taken by locals to a square dance shop and kitted out with all of the female attire - at some cost I might add.

So what went wrong near Reading?

Some of the younger members (huh - in their 50s) apparently wanted to do Plus (or something). They organised weekend workshops. Unfortunately my friend missed two of these. Then the Plus dancers decided that's what they wanted to do on club nights. This meant that only those who had been to all of the workshops could dance. That left my friend out - AND SHE WAS ASKED TO LEAVE.

I thought that this cr*p attitude had died out years ago, but it is evidently still flourishing in rural Berkshire and very likely elsewhere.

CJB