City of London RT13 Nun Run – 11th September 2011

Over 200 runners turned up on the Sunday morning to dress up as Nuns and run around some of the City of London’s landmarks and bridges. It was good to see some 41 Club members supporting the event and Jill and I were asked to help on the day looking after the left luggage/bags.

The event was run by City of London RT13 and the monies raised (approximately £1500) went to RTCW.

Many of those that took part came up to us after the run when collecting their bags saying how well organised it all was and what a fun event and they would be looking out for it next year.

Joint meeting of Deeside and Birkenhead 41 Clubs – 7th September 2011

A pleasant drive took me to North Wales to visit Deeside and District 41 Club who were having a joint meeting with Birkenhead 41 Club. They meet twice a year and take it in turns to host the event. It was a very enjoyable evening (an informal meeting) with lots of laughter and good banter and it was good to see the local Round Table there to enjoy the evening as well.

Region 25 Golf – 6th September 2011

There was a good turnout at West Malling Golf Club (near Maidstone), which played host to Region 25’s Golf Day, for a really enjoyable day’s golf with dinner afterwards – despite the pouring rain the whole day (it only eased after 16 holes). They also managed to raise monies for RTCW.


It was a difficult course with plenty of water and trees, which I did find on many occasions, but on the plus side it is set in the heart of the Kent countryside and has magnificent views over the South Downs. I did though manage to win the longest drive competition – more by luck than judgement.

I look forward to welcoming the winners to the National Golf Finals in September.

Aldershot 41 Club – 5th September 2011

I joined Aldershot 41 Club for dinner and a chat at their September meeting. It was a most enjoyable meeting and I was made to feel most welcome. Over dinner many stories from tabling days were recounted and with business kept to a minimum, everyone came away having a very enjoyable evening.

National Sporting Weekend – 2nd and 3rd September 2011

This year’s National Sporting Weekend was held in Leeds and was (as usual) well organised.

The Friday started off with the golf at Headingly Golf Club with the main sports taking place on the Saturday at the University Campus. It was good to see the event so well supported by 41 club (I recognised many old faces), but it was also good to see the participation of so many young tablers.

The Sportmans’ Dinner on the Saturday evening was excellent with an excellent speaker in Kriss Akabusi MBE.

Next year’s event will be held in Birmingham and I am sure that the committee will put on an excellent weekend.

Downland Eastbourne 41 Club – Croquet Evening – 31st August 2011

On a warm sunny evening I joined Downland Eastbourne for an evening of Croquet. It was really enjoyable to have someone who knows how to play come round with you and explain the rules of the game and what to do – it is not such a friendly game. The evening was rounded off by a fine fish and chip supper.

41 Club Presidents Journal: Scottish Regional Golf Day – 25th August 2011

41 Club Presidents Journal: Scottish Regional Golf Day – 25th August 2011: In glorious sunshine, teams of golfers from all over Scotland travelled to Inverurie Golf Club for the Scottish Regional Golf Day organise...

Region 24 Murder Mystery Night - 26th August 2011

Several clubs from the southern end of Region 24 met in Bexhill – many of the members there I recognised from Table days.


It was a really enjoyable evening where the entertainment was several of us playing characters in a murder mystery evening, with everyone else having to guess who did it. Both Jill and I had “acting” role and the banter went around the room – it really was very funny. The characters’ names had all been carefully scripted eg I was Harris Enford (i.e. Harrison Ford) and it carried on from there.

It was an excellent evening and a thank you must go to the organisers from Bexhill 41 Club.

Scottish Regional Golf Day – 25th August 2011

In glorious sunshine, teams of golfers from all over Scotland travelled to Inverurie Golf Club for the Scottish Regional Golf Day organised by Inverurie 41 Club. It really was a good day for meeting old friends (and making new ones) and playing golf, especially as the players from each team went out with members from other clubs.

The golf course itself was in very good condition, especially considering the amount of rain recently. It was not a long course (5564 yards par 69), with an undulating initial 9 holes and a testing and tight finish with broom, gorse and tree-lined fairways. The course had excellent views from the higher points on the course.

The overall winners on the day were again Inverurie and congratulations to everyone involved for organising such an enjoyable day.

Joint Godalming 41 Club & Round Table Golf Day – 18th August 2011

Despite the pouring rain there was a good turnout at Hurtmore Golf (near Guildford) for the joint golf day between Godalming 41 Club and Round Table. It was an enjoyable afternoon and the players were joined by other members from the two clubs who did not play.

It was a really nice course; not too long and which suited my high handicap, but it was made difficult by water, well placed bunkers and deceptive par fours.

The 41 Club won on the day, but good fun was had by all.

Region 15 Golf – 2nd August 2011

There was a good turnout at Drayton Park Golf (near Tamworth), which played host to Region 15’s Golf Day, for a really enjoyable afternoon of golf and dinner after.

It was quite a difficult course, which is tree-lined with very narrow fairways, so it did not suit my game – you had to hit the ball straight! Somehow, I did manage to win nearest the pin and won a very nice bottle of wine.

I look forward to welcoming the winners to the National Golf Finals in September.

Eastern Region Charity Golf Day – 19th July 2011

A great day’s golf was enjoyed by many at The Channels Golf Club, Chelmsford for the Eastern Region Charity Golf Day.

This is a joint Golf Day, involving Regions 16, 17, 18 and 19 and was superbly organised by Gerry Woodruff (an event he has organised for the past 7 years). It is a fun day but has a serious side in that there is a £1000.00 prize fund, which is divided up amongst the top three teams who had chosen a nominated charity prior to the day. The winning team from each Region will also be going to the National Finals in September.

It was a wonderful day’s golf. The weather was superb and the course in excellent condition. The course itself is a mature parkland course and having been built mainly on restored land it has numerous lakes and undulating fairways.

The evening culminated in the dinner and prize giving. This was Gerry’s last Golf Day as organiser and I am glad it went so well for him, but it is being organised next year by Nigel Davies (National Councillor for Region 16) and I would like to take this opportunity to wish him every success. After 7 years organising such a successful event, it was a real pleasure to present Gerry with The Association Award – well deserved.

 

Bishop’s Stortford 41 Club Chairman’s BBQ – 17th July 2011

Sunday afternoon took Jill and I to Jim Smith’s house for the Chairman’s BBQ (Jim is also the Chairman as well as the National Membership Officer). In true 41 club style, it rained on and off most of the afternoon, but it still did not stop the cooking, eating and drinking.


A really enjoyable afternoon and our thanks must also go to Jim’s wife, Chris, for making sure all ran smoothly during the afternoon.

Region 21 Skittles – 13th July 2011

The final of the Region 21 Skittles Competition took place at the Civil Service Sports Association Club in Cheltenham and what a good evening it was.


Four clubs from the Region (2 from the north and 2 from the south) had battled through several rounds to reach this year’s finals, in a Regional competition that dates back in 1973 when Westbury on Trym won it. With two lanes being used and the highest score overall winning after one lot of “throws” from each member from a team of 8 (there is no time for a play-off), the winners this year were Nailsea 41 Club, who have now won the trophy 3 times in the last 4 years.

Everyone had a good time and enjoyed the evening; an excellent evening to meet other clubs in the region and enjoy a beer. Plans are already underway for next year’s competition.

Dedication of the 41 Club Garden at the National Memorial Arboretum – 17th July 2011

After much hard work from Lichfield 41 Club in preparing the 41 Club Garden at the National Memorial Garden on the outskirts of Birmingham, members of the Round Table Family gathered for the formal “Dedication” of the Garden led by Immediate Past National Rev Malcolm Lockey. After a short service the four Associations laid “floral tributes”.

The rain held off and there was time for walking around the Garden and enjoying the facilities. I had never been there before, and found it a very moving experience, especially The Armed Forces Memorial, which provides the recognition and the thanks for those who have given their lives in the service of the country since the two World Wars.

For those who have never been to the Garden, it is well worth visiting and it is deserving of a full day’s tour around the various monuments. I will be recommending it to my son who spent several years in the army.

Congratulation to all those involved in organising the day for 41 Club, especially to Lichfield 41 Club and our secretary Martin Green for his assistance on producing “The Order of Service”.

LOTS - 12th July 2011

The evening was spent in London when I was very kindly hosted by London Old Tablers’ Society at their speaker evening. It was an honour to visit such a distinguished club with such a history, especially as the club is older than the Association.


It was really nice to meet up again with old friends from Round Table (and to make new ones) and everyone had a good time, with laughter and good banter around the table. It was also nice to welcome a new member to the club – Ralph Preston, who will now always be addressed at the meetings as “Preston”. It is a tradition of the club that all members are referred to using their surnames; a tradition that goes back many years.

I look forward to revisiting the club in the New Year and meeting many of them at the lunchtime meeting in The Lamb.

National Council Meeting – 8th & 9th July 2011

The weekend of the Council meeting took us to my Region here in Sussex, when we visited Brighton. The men had committee meeting early on the Saturday, followed by the National Council meeting. Whilst the men were in their meetings, the wives visited the Brighton Pavilion – some went to the shopping centres, but I think everyone enjoyed visited “The Lanes” with its wide range of shops – and the pier.

The evening was spent relaxing at the Greyhound Racing in Hove, where over a meal everyone could have a bet on the winning dogs. That was the idea, but I think most people lost but some of the winnings were contributed to RTCW. We even had one of the races named after the Association and also got a mention in the programme.

Overall, a very enjoyable and productive weekend and my thanks must go to Dave and Pauline Campbell and Mike and Jan Turner who organised the weekend.

Visit to the Isle of Man – 4th and 5th July 2011

After a quick flight, Jill and I arrived in the Isle of Man. The weather was very good and we were met by Geoff and Joan Crabtree (Past National Tangent President), who took us sightseeing around the south of the island. We met Steve Leonard  (Past National Councillor) and Irene for lunch and then went onto visit John E10, who cannot get out very much now, but has a collection of Presidents’ banners going back to George Douglas – mine now has now joined his collection.



Martin Quayle in House of Keys



The afternoon took us the House of Keys, where we were showed around by on old friend of ours (through Round Table) who is now an Honourable Member of the House of Keys – Martin Quayle.

In the evening, we joined with 41 Club members on the island at a local pub – a pub which is on the TT Course and the walls are adorned with pictures of motor cycles and their riders.

Martin in the procession on Tynwald day

The Tuesday morning the weather had changed to heavy rain, but we were able to visit the Tynwald Day Ceremony. This is when all the laws passed during the year are read out in English and Manx at an open air ceremony, which has been taking place in similar form for over 1000 years. It was a really enjoyable day out in which you feel are taking part in a very historical ceremony. In an adjoining field there is a Tynwald day fair with many local charity stalls. Rushen Round Table had a stall with a  "human fruit machine" which proved very popular and was hilarious to watch.

In the evening, we joined with more 41 Club members at a local restaurant.

A great couple of days in which we met many of the island’s 41 club members and Round Tablers.

Region 22 Golf – 6th July 2011

A record turnout from Region 22, turned up at Downes Crediton Golf Club (just outside Exeter) for a afternoon of really enjoyable golf – apart from the soaking over the last 3 holes! – and dinner afterwards. Downes Crediton Gold Club was formed in 1975 and is still relatively young. The course was originally farmland, but tree planting and a lot of hard work has transformed it into a beautiful parkland course. The Region will hopefully be well represented at the National Golf Finals in September.

Llantwit Major 30th Charter – 1st July 2011

Llantwit Major’s 30th Charter celebrations were held at the local rugby club, where over 90 (from several clubs, including a frequent visitor from Belgium) enjoyed a good night of fun and fellowship with Llantwit Major Tangent presenting a Birthday cake for the Club to Chairman Keith and carrying  out a great interruption.

The food was excellent, the speaker Dai Vaughan, very funny and the whole evening went really well – a tribute to all the hard work put into the organisation of the event. The evening was well finished off, with bacon sandwiches and port at two in the morning.