ANNIE Ratcliffe of Trinity Players, Farnworth, has received her diamond bar for 60 years' membership of the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA).

Glyn Neary, NODA's North-west Region representative made the presentation.

Annie, probably the longest-serving official in the Bolton and district amateur theatre world, is the popular chairman of the Trinity Players, based at the Trinity Church.

A report in a recent edition of Tribune, Trinity Church's newsletter, pays tribute to Annie. Only a short time ago Annie resigned as secretary of the Players, a job she has been combining with her duties as chairman. Part of the tribute reads: "One thing is certain, without Annie the Society would no longer exist. We see Annie as an anchor -- she has held us together and not let us founder or break up. The Society has had its share of problems, but Annie has always been there for us."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.