Jill and I enjoyed our last 41 Club meeting of 2011 at Burgess Hill’s Xmas Dinner. The venue, food and service were excellent and everyone had an enjoyable evening singing carols. What a really nice way to end the year. Friday 23 December 2011
Burgess Hill 41 Club Xmas Dinner – 20th December 2011
Jill and I enjoyed our last 41 Club meeting of 2011 at Burgess Hill’s Xmas Dinner. The venue, food and service were excellent and everyone had an enjoyable evening singing carols. What a really nice way to end the year. 
Somerton 41 Club Christmas Dinner – 19th December 2011
I had the pleasure of joining Somerton 41 Club for their Christmas Dinner. We all enjoyed a really nice meal and then we were entertained with quizzes and making various hats, swords etc out of balloons. A really good evening.
Marchesi House Xmas Dinner -16th December 2011
Jill and I joined (along with Martin Green and Mike Turner) with some of the Executive of Round Table and the staff of Marchesi House for their Xmas Dinner. It was also the chance to present 41 Club’s best wishes and a small gift to Sue Barnicoat and Maureen Huggins, both of whom are leaving the services of Round Table and 41 Club after many years service. The lunch was really enjoyable and a bit sad at the same time. Jill and I have known both of them for many years and they will both be sorely missed by both Associations.Meeting at The Lamb – 14th December 2011
Jill and I joined them this year for their Xmas gathering. It was a very enjoyable day attracting over 50 members of the “family” for a few beers, an excellent meal and adjourning afterwards to the largest pub in the City Of London before making our way home. There were Tabler's from as far away as Norwich. 41 Club members from Stafford and Billericay and many of the Tangent Executive.
A good day out and we both look forward to joining them again next year.
Wimbledon 41 Club Xmas Dinner – 13th December 2011
Jill and I joined Wimbledon 41 Club for their Xmas Dinner, which took place in a small Italian Restaurant in Wimbledon Village. The venue, food and service were excellent, and both Jill and I enjoyed a very pleasant evening. It was great to have Italian Christmas food with not a Turkey in sight.
East Grinstead 41 Club Xmas Dinner – 12th December 2011
It was nice to attend a meeting of my own club for a change and we joined everyone at our Xmas Dinner.
We all had a very nice evening at the local golf course (the staff there looked after us very well) and it was a great opportunity to catch up with friends and wish them a happy xmas.
RTCW Charity Ball – 9th December 2011
Jill and I were delighted this year to attend the Torquay Barcelo Imperial Hotel’s Charity Ball with the Round Table President John and his partner Lizzie, Round Table Vice President Jason and Conference Officer Neal ad his wife Karen, where this year the monies collected were shared between Devon Air Ambulance and Round Table Children’s Wish.
It was an excellent night with dancing until the early hours of the morning and the event raised good monies for the charities through the raffle and silent auctions.
The Round Table Conference next year is being held in this hotel and the Manager Cormac and his team are doing all they can to ensure that we all have a great time.
Long Eaton 41 Club Xmas Dinner – 8th December 2011
The home of next year’s National President, Jill and I enjoyed an excellent evening with Long Eaton 41 Club at their Xmas Dinner.
The food and the service were excellent and after the usual formal speeches, we all sat back to be thoroughly entertained by the guest “speaker” – a mind reader, this was very entertaining and we are still wondering how he does it.
A very good evening and it was very nice to take this opportunity to wish David Smith and the Club all the best for next year.
We look forward to seeing many of them in Jersey.
The food and the service were excellent and after the usual formal speeches, we all sat back to be thoroughly entertained by the guest “speaker” – a mind reader, this was very entertaining and we are still wondering how he does it.
A very good evening and it was very nice to take this opportunity to wish David Smith and the Club all the best for next year.
We look forward to seeing many of them in Jersey.
Deeside 41 Club Xmas Dinner – 3rd December 2011
On my second visit to Deeside 41 Club, Jill and I enjoyed a very good Xmas Dinner – again in North Wales.
We all ate a wonderful meal and the evening was rounded up with a quiz.
A very good night and I look forward to visiting the club again in March in the Regional Dinner.
Aberystwyth 41 Club Xmas Dinner – 26th November 2011
It was good to see many old friends from Round Table days (it was with them that I scored my one and only hole in one at the local course golf) and after a few beers in the local pub, we travelled by taxi up into the hills to a country pub.The meal was excellent (all local produce) and after the coffee, the singing began. It was a very good, fun evening
Kinder 41 Club 41st Anniversary – 26th November 2011
There is a first time for everything and this was no exception. Following on from the format used for their highly successful 25th Anniversary, this was a Saturday Morning Breakfast Meeting.
The meeting started at 9.00 with a traditional English cooked breakfast followed by Bucks Fizz (and as you expect some were already enjoying the odd pint of beer!) followed by the formal speeches and with guest speaker Graham Smith, who works at Manchester United and who entertained us with many funny stories.
The meeting finished around midday, with many adjourning to the bar to sample the vast choice of real ales.
A very enjoyable way to spend the morning and it was highly successful in that most clubs in the region were represented.
Maybe it is worth a thought for your next meeting.
Bishop’s Stortford 45th Charter – 23rd November 2011
Held at the local golf club (golf clubs are a favourite this year for these events), I joined with Bishop’s Stortford in celebrating their 45th Charter.
It was an excellent evening of fun and fellowship, and the venue and food were excellent.
The guest speaker was to have been John Spence, but due to an unfortunate accident he could not be there. Nevertheless, we all had a good time and there was time at the end of the evening to enjoy a few beers at the bar. A very enjoyable evening.
Bromley and District 41 Club Cluster Evening – 21st November 2011
Every year Bromley District 41 Club organise a cluster meeting and this year was no exception. An evening was organised at the Bromley Court Hotel, to which many of the local clubs were invited. It was an excellent evening, and I was pleased to have the opportunity to present a charter to Sidcup 41 Club.
The guest speaker was Alan Coxon, who gave a very amusing talk on his experiences in the Metropolitan Police entitled “A policeman’s lot can be a happy one”. A good evening was enjoyed by all.
Bridge of Weir & Kilmacolm 41 Club 25th Anniversary Dinner – 19th November 2011
A long drive north to just past Glasgow, took Jill and I to Bridge of Weir & Kilmalcolm 41 Club to help them celebrate their 25th Anniversary at the local golf club. It was a fantastic night and we were made to feel so welcome in a very nice venue and the food was excellent.
The attendees included many 41’ers, former Round Tablers, friends, former Circle and Tangent members along with a number of former members returning to see old friends.As well as the usual formal speeches, the guest speaker was Ms. Annabelle Goldie MSP, who had just retired as the Leader of the Conservatives in the Scottish Parliament.
There was a great interruption by the Tangent Club, well performed and rehearsed . A great fun evening.
Thursday 15 December 2011
Whitchurch Round Table 50th Charter – 18th November 2011
It was a real pleasure to travel up to Whitchurch to help the Round Table in the town to celebrate their 50th Charter. It was well supported by the local tables and it was excellent to see a good turnout from the local 41 Clubs. As you expect, there was a lot of banter throughout the evening, especially when the comedian came on.
Some of the members of Whitchurch 41 Club had prepared a short history of the club and it was a shame that due to time constraints this could not be heard, but it did not detract in any way from an excellent evening. It was good to see Ladies Circle and Tangent taking part in the interruption and raising funds for Children in Need as well.
Tuesday 13 December 2011
Hastings 41 Club – 17th November 2011
A drive to the south coast took me to Hastings 41 Club for their Past Members Night. The venue and the food were excellent and there were many stories from the past. A really enjoyable night of fun and fellowship.
Lichfield 41 Club – 16th November 2011
A good turnout of the local clubs ensured a very enjoyable evening at Lichfield. The venue (the local golf club) was superb and the food excellent and everyone enjoyed the first part of the evening – a talk from the Assistant Professional, who had been on the Ladies Professional Tour.
The second part of the evening was a bit more serious – discussion on the future of 41 Club and how to attract those who had just left Round Table or were about to leave. A lively discussion was had with many points raised and many will be taken back to National Council.
A really enjoyable evening and it was nice to be able to take the opportunity to thank Lichfield for their hard work in organising the Dedication of the 41 Club Garden and also for their work on Remembrance Sunday, both of which were held at the National Arboretum.
Rhyl 41 Club – 15th November 2011
A long drive north took me to Rhuddlan in North Wales. There I joined with Rhyl 41 Club in the tasting of fine wines from around the world, which included some from the Lebanon, some pudding wine and all finished off with some fine ports.
A very good evening, which ended with fellowship around the bar. I look forward to joining them again on St. David’s Day.
Ottery St. Mary 41 Club – 14th November 2011
Along with various guests I had the pleasure of attending a superb social evening organised by Ottery St. Mary 41 Club. The purpose of the evening was threefold – to have a good time – to enjoy the specialist beers for the beer tasting – and most importantly to present a commemorative engraved glass tankard and citation scroll to one of their members, who was celebrating 41 years in 41 Club. A thoroughly enjoyable evening.
Cenotaph Parade and Service – 13th November 2011
Every year Round Table gives two of their allocation of tickets to each of the other Associations – 41 Club, Ladies Circle and Tangent. This year was no exception and I was honoured to represent the Association with Dave Campbell, our International Officer.
The weather was superb and certainly helped to bring the crowd out. It was a great day and one to be experienced if you have the chance.
Tangent South East Regional Lunch – 12th November 2011
Along with approximately 200 Tangent members, Jill and I enjoyed a thoroughly entertaining Tangent Lunch in Southend-on Sea.The venue and the food were superb with the guest speakers being Mark Foster and Camilla Sacre Dallerup, both of whom had featured on Strictly Come Dancing, a programme I had to admit at not watching. Nevertheless, the duo entertained everyone with their dancing display and made it a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.
Region 20 Dinner – 11th November 2011
The Region 20 Dinner was this year organised by Abingdon and District 41 Club and was held in the very historic Exeter College, Oxford. The dining room was magnificent and it was superb to eat and bask in several centuries of history – the college where J.R.R. Tolkien was a student and we gazed on the lawn where Inspector Morse expired!
Being the 11th day of the 11th month, we started the evening with The Last Post followed by 2 Minutes Silence. There then followed a great evening of fun and fellowship (the food was good as well) with the guest speaker being John Spence OBE. It was a good evening and would thoroughly recommend attending a dinner at such a historic venue to anyone.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)