Getting to know you…
In this edition of The Mayfly we find out a little bit about Vanessa Woods and her deep family connection to Micklefield and its Community Centre.
Many of you may know Vanessa as the key point of contact at Micklefield Community Centre where she manages the day to day running of the centre in addition to her role of Treasurer of Micklefield Community Association. Vanessa’s voluntary activities include bookings and overseeing building maintenance to ensure essential checks on alarms, CCTV and fire extinguishers are undertaken.
Vanessa’s parents who were both High Wycombe born and bred, married in 1956 and moved to Micklefield in 1962. Her Dad worked in the furniture trade until he retired and her Mum in Aldridge’s, High Street and when the children grew older, Bowyers in Amersham. Both parents were involved in running the Royal Naval Club in Wooburn Green and despite having a busy family and working life, became involved in fundraising for a community centre in Micklefield. Once built Mr Wallen helped run the centre for the first 15 years after it opened and on his death in 2007, his wife took over this role and continued 2011 when she too sadly died.
Vanessa has continued the strong tradition of the Wallen family being involved in the centre and has continued as a committed and hardworking volunteer ever since.
In recognition of the hard work, commitment and contribution Vanessa’s parents made to Micklefield and the community centre, a number of years ago Cllr Margaret Draper suggested that a new road in Micklefield be named Wallen Close.
Vanessa is very much a local girl and has many happy childhood memories of family and community having lived in the area for much of her life. Being the only girl of 5 children meant, unsurprisingly, she grew up a bit of a tomboy.
She attended Guinions School and Hatters Lane Secondary Modern and then Amersham College where she trained as a residential social worker. After leaving college Vanessa started her working life as a Housemistress at Godstowe School and in 2002 moved to a school in Brighton for 3 years. She returned to High Wycombe and worked as a traffic warden for Wycombe District Council until 2022 when she decided to take voluntary redundancy.
Vanessa first met Leo, her husband, when she was just 10 years old at Wycombe Show as they were both hobbyists belonging to a group studying First Nations. They maintained their friendship, which later turned into a serious relationship, throughout the years surviving Leo’s working abroad with Vanessa taking trips to visit him. They married in 2009 in Canada and purchased their home in Micklefield Road in 2012.
Vanessa enjoys baking which she is something she inherited from her grandmother and mother as they enjoyed making and decorating celebration cakes together in what appears to be quite a production line with one baking, one applying marzipan and one icing! Vanessa actually made her own wedding cake for the friends and family celebrations which took place in the UK after her and Leo’s Canadian ceremony.
The couple are still very involved with activities surrounding their interest in the First Nations, and two Pow Wows are held at Micklefield Community Centre each year with people travelling from all parts of the UK and Europe to attend. Vanessa and Leo also travel to Canada to attend Pow Wows where they love to meet friends and like-minded people to celebrate the First Nations.
Vanessa’s strong feelings about the area are summed up by her reply when asked what she liked about Micklefield, as she had no hesitation in saying:
‘It’s always been home, just the place I’ve loved to be’
Thank you Vanessa, for sharing your story and also for all the hard work you continue to do at Micklefield Community Centre, it is really appreciated.
