Maggie joins in the party fun
Downing Street press office might have announced Saturday was free of engagements for the prime minister to celebrate her 35th wedding anniversary but in Finchley Mrs Margaret Thatcher definitely puts her constituents first.
The Finchley MP swept into the Conservative offices in Ballards Lane on Saturday afternoon to meet some of the cubs and scouts who will be delivering Christmas cards to her friends locally.
Every year different packs put on their postmen's hats to push those important cards through the doors and the money saved on stamps is donated to charity. This year the 4th Finchley, 15th Finchley, 22nd Finchley and 6th Friern Barnet groups are doing the job. “We can guarantee delivery,” boasted 4th Finchley cub leader Barbara McTeare.
Scouts Hugo Jones and Robert Hunter and cubs Richard Lake and Jonathan Davis were all keyed up to meet the prime minister.
And the occasion took an extra air of excitement as a film crew moved in to film the prime minister at work.
They sat down to an informal tea party after Mrs Thatcher relived her happy day 35 years ago by helping eight-year-old Jonathan cut the Christmas log.
“Of course it was more difficult for Denis and me then because we had Royal icing,” she said laughing.
A couple of hours later Mrs Thatcher, dressed in a bright blue cocktail dress, was sitting down to Christmas dinner at the Grange Estate community hall.
“This is one of the first engagements to go in my diary every year and I haven't missed it in 19 years,” she said.
The party and stage show is organised for the elderly on the estate and the Finchley MP obviously knew most of the 80 faces.
She checked on the pans in the kitchen and congratulated cooks Rose Lawrence and Phyllis Harrington, who have been catering for the annual party for over 15 years, before moving among the tables pulling crackers and wishing everyone a happy Christmas.
But as usual Mrs Thatcher mixed business with pleasure. She sat down for a chat with Hilda Withers, who has lived on the East Finchley estate for 47 years, while the potatoes were boiling and took a note to speak to Barnet's housing department about a transfer into a larger flat.
Mrs Withers ' husband is in Finchley Memorial Hospital recovering from a leg amputation but cannot come home because of the lack of space in the one-bedroom flat.
Within minutes Mrs Thatcher had spoken to Housing Director Ray Janering to look into the predicament.
She may have foregone her own personal celebrations but the partygoers were determined not to overlook the special day and before the chicken soup was served Councillor Edna James handed over a huge anniversary card.
“Thirty-five years might sound quite young in years to some of you but it's still marvellous. Even so I always come along to your party and there's always a wonderful feeling of togetherness,” Mrs. Thatcher said.