Newsletter
NEWSLETTER No. 40 - 5 Oct 2007
Introduction: My apologies for not having produced a Newsletter since July during a particularly busy part of the year for us. However now is a good time as I can include items of general interest from the Committee Meeting on 3 October and bring up aspects of the coming winter.
Absent Friends: I have been concerned about members whom we have not seen at the club either not at all this summer or for a considerable period of time. So here is what news I have been able to garner:
David & Eileen Laity – in good health though David’s leg has made standing for any length of time rather difficult. We hope to see them at at least one of the social events.
Jacqui Neville-Webber – a trying period starting with pneumonia and finishing with dental problems. However she sounded undaunted (as one might expect) on the phone.
Penny Rowe – Jacquie tells me that Penny has mobility problems but fully intends to maintain her social membership. We certainly hope so.
Congratulations:
a. to Malcolm Hooper who won the President’s Cup on 16 September. He could not be presented with the cup, postponed to Finals Day, as our President could not be there. He will not now receive it on 14 October either as he will be in Spain. So I polished it to no purpose!
b. to our Golf Croquet League team under Ron George who only lost their semi-final against the Palace team (Wells) by the narrowest of margins.
c. to our B League team under Colin Hadley, beaten in the semi-finals by Nailsea, the eventual winners.
d. to the Intermediate Team, 2 nd out of 4 in their group.
e. to the Federation Team, 2 nd out of 5 in their group.
f. to Ron George who organised a great after-noon’s Golf doubles competition, (Faith, Hoops & Hilarity) rather suspiciously won by Tony Backhouse (a last-minute substitution) and Stephen Read.
g. to Tony Jennings for his excellent half-lawn tournament, a great success, well organised and finally deservedly won by Ian Wilson, awarded with a cup donated by Tony.
h. to Richard Griffiths who has been selected for the World Championships in New Zealand next year, representing Jersey.
Thanks to Stephen Read for the work he has put in on the scarifier, now in reasonable and operational order.
Trophies: Most of our various trophies need to be engraved with the names of recent winners. Could the present holders please let me have them, with a note of the names to be engraved, by 31 October or otherwise get them done themselves, preferably at St Austell Trophies at 6 South Street (very near the town centre taxi stand).
Finals Day: a programme has been produced by Malcolm Hooper and it is up on the Tournament notice board in the pavilion. The intention is to have the finals as far as possible on the Sunday on Lawn 2 while running a one-ball Egyptian on Lawn 1. This would mean that anyone could take part, joining in as much or as little as they like, starting and/or finishing when they like. The idea is for as many as possible to take part in a simplified form of Association (One-Ball) with very short games at rapid intervals, managed by Nigel Grant.
The day will then end with supper and, perhaps, a glass or two of wine, the food being contributed by all participating and co-ordinated by a volunteer, yet to be found,
Committee Meeting: This was held in the pavilion on Wednesday, 3 October and a number of interesting points were raised and decisions made. Although the minutes will be posted on the notice-board in due course, the main points are summarised below.
a. The Next Chairman. The point was raised that if the next Chairman is not decided until the AGM in March, then he or she will not have any say in either the programme or the policies for 2008. One solution would be to call an Extraordinary General Meeting to elect a Chairman-Designate with the object of his being confirmed in due course. However the Committee thought this an unnecessary botheration and therefore decided that, as there has only been one nomination so far and no other seems likely, Tony Jennings should be co-opted on to the Committee with immediate effect. Furthermore the Committee unanimously decided that he would have their backing at the AGM in the event of there being an election as a result of a further nomination.
b. Lawn Closures. After considerable discussion on the work to be done on the courts during the winter, it was decided that:
(i) there should always be at least one court open for use by members.
(ii) each court would, in turn, be closed for about six weeks for work.
(iii) members should be strongly reminded of the potential damage to lawns if they are used when damp or touched by frost. If in doubt, keep off!
Social Programme:
a. Margaret Read organised an hilarious evening on 29 September, one of the funniest shows I have been to in a long time. Entitled “Medical Maelstrom”, it was put on by three GPs from Penzance. Our members made up about a third of the sold-out audience and all agreed that it had been a “not to be missed” occasion.
b. Finals Day on 14 October, see above.
c. A Mulled-Wine Get-Together in the pavilion on Saturday, 15 December. The wine will be supplied and prepared by David & Barrie Edwards. A contribution to Club funds will be invited. Members are also asked to provide mince pies, sausage rolls or similar.
d. A Christmas Lunch has been organised by Joyce Wilson. It will be held at the Kingswood Restaurant in London Apprentice on Thursday, 6 December. The Secretary will be writing to members shortly concerning the menu and costs. Drinks will not be included.
e. Post-Christmas Party , including Fowey CC at Porthpean Farm, courtesy of Howard and Shirley, on Saturday, 2 February, 2008. Details will follow but entertainment will be provided by the Fowey Club – a challenge to Medical Maelstrom? The cost is likely to be £10 per person.
Tony Backhouse
5 October, 2007.