IN today's insular stay-at-home, armchair TV society, it was a delight the other evening to attend a large-scale re-union in Worcester with all its human hubbub.

St Martin's Parish Hall was abuzz with the vibrant noise of chatter and animated conversation as around 150 people met for the first time in years.

It was a re-union of past pupils of Red Hill School and of residents of the Foxwell Street area - all from the 1930s and 1940s era.

There was much chat about schooldays, the war years and of friends and neighbours at Foxwell Street half-a-century or more ago.

My wife and I were kindly invited along as I had previewed the re-union in Memory Lane.

The gathering was specifically the wish of Mrs Ann Windham (maiden name, Hunt), a past pupil of Red Hill School, who was brought up in Foxwell Street.

She has spent much of her married life of 45 years in America but, with husband Don, has returned to Worcester periodically for long stays and has been living in the city in recent years, looking after her ailing mother who died recently.

Ann very much wanted one last chance to catch up with old friends and former classmates from the 1930-45 period.

She and American husband Don are about to return to the USA to be reunited with their three children and to live in Seattle, so we wish them bon voyage.

In chatting to Don Windham, I found that during his time living in Worcester, he has become fascinated with the history of the Faithful City and has made friends with two amiable local historians - Bill Gwilliam and Max Sinclair.

Everyone who was at the recent re-union seemed delighted to have been able to share reminiscences and to re-new past friendships.

There should be more such re-unions for other suburbs and city schools!