Reunion appeal for East Midlands Electricity Board apprentices from Northamptonshire

The class of 1971 are getting together
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Back in 1971, about 90 fresh-faced school leavers from across the East Midlands packed their bags and arrived at the East Midlands Electricity Board training centre.

Fifty years later, the apprentices have been invited to a reunion of the group to mark the milestone.

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Brian O'Brien, a trainee from Warwickshire is keen to contact trainees of the East Midlands Electricity Board, 1971 apprentice intake from Northamptonshire.

East Midlands Electricity Board, 1971 Apprentice Intake with Brian O’Brien on the back row sixth from the leftEast Midlands Electricity Board, 1971 Apprentice Intake with Brian O’Brien on the back row sixth from the left
East Midlands Electricity Board, 1971 Apprentice Intake with Brian O’Brien on the back row sixth from the left

He said: "September 6, 2021 marks a significant milestone in our lives as it will be 50 years since most of us met for the first time.

"We were all recent school leavers setting out on the next great chapter of our lives.

"About 90 of us from across the East Midlands Electricity Board Region converged on the Wollaton, Nottingham, Training Centre to begin what, for many of us, would be a complete working life in the Electrical Industry.

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"Most of us turned up suitcases in hand to be put up in ‘digs’ for 40 weeks of that first year, travelling home for weekends to return the following Monday morning.

"Naturally friendships were made and some great experiences shared.

"At the end of that first year we all returned to our respective, district offices, to continue our, hands-on training in our chosen trade with those that we would be working with on a daily basis.

"The next three years we would return to Wollaton for specific training associated with our trade and those first-year friendships would be resurrected each year.

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"The training was second to none and it was such a good experience. We'd like to see as many of the 'lads' as possible."

Mr O'Brien would like as many of the former apprentices from the Northamptonshire area to attend the reunion in Nottingham on September 3, 2021.

For further information go to the I Worked at the East Midlands Electricity Board Facebook group.