History of The Dings

Following on from the Article in the August edition of FCN about the story behind the names ‘Shaftsbury Park and The Dings Crusaders’, Geoff Haskett writes as follows:

Reading in last month’s edition about the origins of the Dings Crusaders brought back many memories of the Dings. Pip n’ Jay Church ran their Saturday Kid’s Club for many years on the land across the road from Shaftesbury House. The building is home to a group of of previously homeless folk working with the Emmaus Community. They would let us fill up our water containers from their kitchen.

Many’s the time I’ve left Frenchay to drive to Keynsham where the project bus was parked up next to the chocolate factory. Provided the bus would start I‘d drive it to St Philips where the Dings kids would be waiting for us.

The bus was equipped with plenty of games and of course a football!

So naturally Gill and I were very excited when the Dings arrived in Frenchay; bringing back memories of many happy days spent alongside the railway tracks with a group of very active children.