1935-1956: AA in Nottingham and Leicester

In 1935 while on a business trip to Akron Ohio, an alcoholic from New York Bill W made contact with another alcoholic Dr Bob S. Together they found that by helping each other that they could stay sober themselves. This was the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous, and from this meeting thousands of other meeting have started. At the first UK meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1947 there were eight people present, brought together by a visiting American lady, Grace O. Five of these had been in contact with AA in the USA and two of the others had been a chance meeting, where a invitation followed to join the others in the Dorchester Hotel on 31st March 1947. Bob B a member at that meeting said "Grace was the spark we needed".

Capt, TPK 'Keith' O, was born in Nuneaton on the 24th June 1915. Before WW2 Keith was a sporting man and played cricket for Warwickshire. During the war he was a captain in the 1st battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment, and took part in the D-day landings. Keith is mentioned in the book 'Thank God and the Infantry', and is said to be one of the finest people to meet. In 1952 in the AA News it is reported that Keith O is in the planning to start AA in Leicester, and in 1953 the first meeting took place at his home in Wolvey.

In 1954 George J, an alcoholic from Nottingham got sober by attending the meeting in Leicester. George was a small man, who didn't mince his words and carried the AA message with a passion. In 1955 George brought Alcoholics Anonymous to Nottingham by holding the first meeting at his home, above his ironmongers shop on Aspley Lane. In 1956 the Nottingham first group found its first public meeting place, the YMCA on Shakespeare Street.

Today thanks to the un-selfish acts of Keith O and George J, there are over sixty meeting in Nottingham and Leicester.

Nottingham and Leicester, Intergroup archivist 2009.