PRESIDENTS DAY 2025

Every year we have a charitable event to support our President’s charity. This year our President, Susan Kenny, chose Cancer Research UK as the charity we will support.

The organisation of Presidents Day starts with creating a poster and enabling members to indicate there wish to attend. This also gives members the opportunity to volunteer to help. Help can be setting tables, setting out the equipment on the green, washing up, bringing a raffle prize and contributing a dessert. With help from a small group of volunteers Susan was able to plan the details from table arrangements to the food that would work best.

Prior to the day of the event there was some growing concern about the weather not being suitable for outdoor activity. With the list of those attending and wanting to bowl Susan put together teams for the game trying her best to select balanced rinks and came up with some team names.

Anyway, the day started with Susan shopping for the food, only to discover one of our local supermarkets didn’t have any lettuce. Oh dear. A bit of running around found an abundance of lettuce and panic was set aside. Susan started the food preparation and got all the bits and pieces to the pavilion. With many helpers, tables were arranged, and the green was readied for a game of bowls. As members arrived the selection of desserts was growing, and the raffle prize table was filling up nicely.

The first order of the day with everyone present was our group photograph, which this year we decided to have adjacent to the Millenium Statue with its lovely array of flowers. We owe a big thank you to Mandy Dicken for being our photographer. Chairs were placed, there was a lot of jostling, but we got a bunch of 25 members to smile at the same time, giving us a nice friendly photograph.

Pack that lot away and it was on with the Spider. With all of our bowlers spread out around the green with one foot in the ditch, the bell was rung, thanks again Mandy, and bowls were sent. The jack in the middle was moved twice and the nearest bowls were a meter or more away. Carful checking by Susan declared the winner was Brian Simpson, winning a bottle of Port.

On with the game of bowls. Somehow it fell to Gordon Smith to be captain for the day and having randomly chosen the rink pairings with Susan the cards were made out and kept a secret. Little did the teams know they were going to be either Pansies or Daisies. An excellent choice of team names chosen by Susan, with some help that started as a joke. Gordon read out the teams and some members suggested there might have been better flower names to choose from.

The game started with cloud cover and thankfully no rain. Whilst our band of happy bowlers got on with the game, sharing the normal friendly rivalry, a group of Ladies started the table setting and food preparation. With one rink of fours and two rinks of triples the game went for a total of 42 ends across the three rinks. Some friendly rivalry and a lot of banter ensued, but there always has to be a winner. With the game finished there was a little green clearing whilst we all moved into the pavilion.

What a sight, all the tables were laid, and the food was ready. To one side we could see a fantastic selection of desserts and thanks to Ray Maule we had our donation bar operating as well. Pots of tea were bought out and with everyone seated the gathering of members and guests started on the lovely ham and pork pie salad, with all the trimmings. What a spread to behold, a clear indication of all the hard work and preparation that had been going on whilst we played a game of bowls. Lots of chatting and members enjoying each other’s company. Main course done there was an orderly scramble for the lovely desserts, with many returning for second helpings. With all the eating done it was time for a speech from our President.

Susan thanked all the many helpers and especially thanked the members for coming out and supporting her day to raise money for Cancer Research. Brian Simpson was presented with his Spider prize and Susan, without labouring on the scores let all know the Pansies did put up a good fight, but it was a victory for the Daisies. There was the sound of contented members who all agreed it had been a good, friendly and enjoyable occasion.

Time for the raffle, oh, oh, wait for it. Someone had let out that the 5th July was also Susan’s birthday. Geoff Sturgess who had organised a card for Susan led a resounding rendition of happy birthday, much to Susan’s surprise.

Susan could now draw the raffle with so many prizes. Many members who won more than one prize asked for them to be redrawn, so others got a chance at a prize.

All done and ready to clear up. What a lot of dishes and how pleasing to see so many volunteers getting stuck in making the task manageable rather than a chore. Others put back tables and chairs and some made sure all the bowling equipment was put away. Ray cleared the drink, and some left over desserts were boxed for taking home.

What a day. That took a lot of organising and turned out to be a great success. With costs being born by the President and with so many raffle prizes donated by members, both present and absent, the day has shown how generous we can all be. Subject to a final reckoning, we believe the day has raised approximately £336 for charity.

As Secretary of this club built on friendship and support, I personally would like to thank our President for a special event and to congratulate her on its success, whilst bearing in mind all those that volunteered their help.

Gordon Smith