CHRISTMAS PARTY 09
Saturday December 5th

Despite dire misgivings about this event being held at the same time as the  Youth Prize-giving Party, all did, in fact, go very well. We soon shouted down the disco in the main bar and when joined by the Wayfarers, who had been having their AGM in a very chilly training room, we all trooped into the dining room to be presented with a admirable u-shaped table layout with very pretty table decorations all in silver an d gold.
The usual excellent turkey dinner was partaken of - interspersed with simultaneous cracker pulling and subsequent jokes and toys. and ultimately with the noisy, traditional entry of our very own Santa Claus.
Presents unwrapped and sampled and the coffee cleared it was time for - THE GAMES - this year with a bit of a difference.

Rob Golding, Wayfarer Fleet Captain inveigled everyone into having a go with his very energetic and noisy ‘run around the chairs, blow up a bag and pop it’ team game. This destroyed the lethargy of overeating and people were then ready to apply their minds to the various quizzes, several provided by Francis Best who then, unfortunately, had had to go on holiday. Barry was in charge of the game of Quoits (filched from Granddaughter’s Christmas pile), some people with very long arms collecting excessively large scores; Val and Wendy controlled the Christmas quizzes and Jane’s Bird Quiz produced a lot of moans except from Anthony who was disappointed that his team only scored 53 out of 60. The Twitchers won that game but came last in everything else!  The Super Solos and the Fab 7 tied for second place but Ted and Co., with a totally bi-fleet te am, were first overall with three wins and a second - and no discards.
This year, also , there were prizes!

After a lot of self congratulatory cheering and clapping, Nick arrived suggesting payment, the which had been temporarily overlooked. People were then, belatedly, allowed to go home, some, such as the Atkinsons, having quite a long drive; but all worth while.

A very good evening and many thanks to all who helped to make it thus.

PRIZE GIVING 09
Saturday, November 14th

This year, in order to support the Club in what promised to be a difficult financial year - but apparently wasn’t - we decided to hold the prize-giving at the Club, with a slightly different format.

So, 40 of us met in the Adult’s Bar at 6.00 pm and collected our free drinks. As it was a private party we allowed in Sarah’s small children who were very good and quite sociable but were getting a bit fraught after about half an hour due to the late arrival of one of the main suspects!

Firstly, Barry was able to hand to Tim the Regatta cup, held last year by David McGregor - for a bit too long - but at least he had it engraved.
On down the list to the Class Captain’s Cup, the nominee for which had been kept a secret but which was awarded to Ted for all his work with cutting and drilling the new wooden ramps and for the hours he spent shifting sand on the Bob Cat, not really mentioning the various machines which died on route.
Coming up to the Ladies prize and Cammy was starting to fidget again so was invited to present this Trophy to his Mum - Sarah (the first time the trophy has gone to someone other than Sarah’s Mum). He thought this was great fun and insisted on presenting the remainder of the Trophies and was rather cross at not being allowed to present the two remaining cups - the Captains Cup and The Most Active Trophy Cup - both of which Barry holds for another year.
Nick had brought an even bigger holdall for this year and required help with packing everything securely ready for the bike ride home.

Into the dining room for our very good supper. We had a long table by the window with a smaller table for those requiring a smaller meal - but all intermingled very sociably.
We would like to thank Nick, the Manager and John, the Chef and all of the young waiting and bar staff who looked after us very well indeed.

A very pleasant evening, with added amusement provided by the teenage party ongoing in the bar - rather by the young girls clothing - or lack of it. Fortunately, we were on the verge of leaving before it became too noisy!