OUR chairman, Jenny Mawer, welcomed members to our monthly coffee morning. She reminded us of the forthcoming visits to Oxford and the Winchester Christmas market.

The speaker was Linda Turner of WW Turner Shoe Repairs. Members were interested to hear how this gently spoken lady became a cobbler and spent her life working with leather.

Her father was a cobbler in Durrington, and she went into the family business. At first only allowed to watch and make coffee, she progressed to removing heels, stripping down and lining up shoes for repair.

She couldn’t wait to work on them herself, and when she showed her father a beautifully repaired pair she was promoted.

Father and daughter worked together at the same bench.

She could handle the tough Army boots, but her real skill lay in making ladies’ soft shoes, and she excelled in the most delicate of repairs.