Karens Funeral will be held on Friday February 16th at St Michaels Church in Flixton M41 6HR at 10.30am
Followed by a Commital Service at Altrincham Crematorium WA14 5RH at 12.00 noon.
There will be a reception at Trafford MV Clubhouse M33 6LR at 1.00pm - please advise the family if you are attending so they have an idea of numbers.
Family flowers only please.
Donations are welcome , if you are able, in support of 42nd Street , a charity supporting the mental health and well being of young people - you can find the link just below.
It is with great sadness that the Club announces the very recent passing of Karen Pennington following a along battle with illness.
Karen was a long time servant of the Club in her younger years and was indeed the Clubs first female Club Secretary.
Her family have followed her involvement in the Club as players, coaches, referees and Committee representatives.
Karen leaves behind her loving husband Mike, children Kate and Andy and their families.
''Heartbroken to announce that the light went out on this beautiful lady yesterday ( Wed 31/01/24). Wife, Mum, Grandma, Sister and dear friend who was loved by so many. She passed away, pain free and with dignity, at The Christie after the toughest battle. So much love and laughter. She will be so deeply missed.
Sleep tight Karen Pennington''
The condolences of the Club and it's membership go out to all the Pennington and Tarling families at this sad time.
Funeral details will be announced once known.
As part of our Centenary celebrations Karen wrote a few words on her life and memories of Trafford MV or Metrovicks as we were then .......
''Starting from the beginning of my memories of MV Rugby Club.My brother Geoff Dean, who sadly passed away on 4th April was a University student working at MV along with Salford University. He started playing rugby and I started working at MV, this was September 1966.
I heard about the Annual C&S Review being put on by the students and ended up signing in with 2 of my friends, at the age of 16 walking across the stage, dressed in a bikini singing Roedean girls (good old rugby song)!! at the social club on Moss Lane in Stretford, and from there life suddenly changed, the good old 60’s
My best friend and I then progressed to going to Kenwood which was a social club ( next link to MV)for all apprentices and teenagers from AEI. This is where myself and best friend both met our future husbands!
Mike started playing rugby and the main link was made, socials at the old Finny bank rugby club married with 2 children I started going more to MV but found it difficult with the children, a lot of members didn’t like children being there.
1977, The club then decided to open the small bar after training onTuesday, Thursday and I offered to do it, it was here where I used to talk a lot to different members about club policies.
1978, the position of club secretary came available and I was asked to do the role! great opportunity to start putting a ‘women's’ point over. I did all the necessary commitments as Club Secretary, drinking pint of mild, reading reports at AGM.
Along with some other women who felt strongly about certain things we formed a women’s committee, never been heard of before. We started making the small lounge child friendly after games so families could all enjoy the club more on Saturday afternoons. We started showing videos etc for the children to watch.
Suddenly children weren’t so bad!
This was around the period of 1978/79. I think the main thing we as women had to accept was that it was a men’s rugby club, traditions were to be upheld, silly rugby songs being sung, drinking game, many old traditions. In true reality it was all good fun, the men needed to be guided and shown what was happening elsewhere at local rugby clubs, for example Altrincham Kersal and Bowden where families and women were already becoming part of the club.
I made some amazing friends at MV, one or two who wished I would just go home but most of all memories.
It is so nice to see how male club to being in family inclusive, the club has progressed over the years, I have far too many stories to tell about my life at MV and association with many members which I still feel exists today.
For me it is lovely to see so many children being introduced and allowed in the ‘inner sanctum’, also suddenly women are now playing there, all age groups. They are even now talking about Rugby tactics etc instead of boys and makeup, how Conrad Guleke will be amazed,the political correctness of ‘goodnight ladies’ such a tradition, not meant with rudeness or sarcasm just light hearted fun !!''
Karen P
