25-year scroll for Andrew – 4 December 2023
Tuesday 27 October 1998 is marked in our Circle history as the day that Andrew O’Mara-Winson became a member. He had been invited to several meetings by his sponsor, another member from the parish of Our Lady Help of Christians in Kirkby-in-Ashfield. Andrew is, and has been for many years, an active parishioner by virtue of his engagement as a Eucharistic Minister, taking Holy Communion to housebound parishioners, as (currently) President of the SVP in the parish, and as one of the helpers who prepare coffee and tea after Sunday Mass.
Professionally, Andrew was a pharmacist, now retired, who had many years running a busy practice and latterly acting as a locum pharmacist in and around Nottingham. His very personal interest in Science has not left him, even in retirement, and Andrew is pursuing a lifelong ambition to find a way to cheaply extract pure (distilled) water from seawater using simple materials that could be translated into a developing world environment. (Editor’s note: As I write Andrew is actively engaging with a Professor at his alma mater, Strathclyde University, to develop his initial research ideas, so that a more effective solution can be produced in due course).
As our President, Greig, pointed out in his valedictory speech at Clergy Night, Andrew is a committed giver whose expertise has helped many in his own local community and in due course may have a global impact with his private research.
Since he joined the Catenians in 1998, Andrew has served Circle as Registrar and has recently led some of the popular Family Rambles. He is a good golfer, taking the Circle Golf trophy on several occasions; those of us who play golf know that he is a bit of a dark horse when it comes to golf because, in his younger days, he played off a low handicap at Sherwood Golf Club – he has lost none of that skill and puts it to good use when chipping from the edge of the green to place himself in a good putting position. He is also known to several of us as a generous tutor on the golf course (indeed, I have benefitted from his wisdom and assistance on many occasions when we have been out for a foursome at Ramsdale GC – Editor), showing patience when we don’t quite get what he means and giving excellent instruction which has improved both our driving and short game.
It has been a great pleasure for us to acknowledge Andrew’s 25 years in the Circle, though he admitted it doesn’t feel anywhere near that long. We wish him many more years and hope that he can continue to make contributions across the Circle when the time is right for him.
