Thursday 16 FeB 2023 -the club Garden is waking up.

The Club house looked good for the Club’s Christmas Social Evening where members can get together during the long closed season. The decorations included a magnificent Christmas tree, table decorations; good use was made of the tea lights, usually used for our Candlelit match, placed on most of the horizontal surfaces. 

Almost the whole membership of the Club turned up to exchange cards and enjoyed a very lavish, varied buffet sourced  from food brought by the members, who were asked to bring a “plate of food”. I don’t think anybody went hungry as there was very little left for the Gardeners Tuesday’s lunch!

We also celebrated Lynn Burman’s “significant” birthday with a cake, with firework, (thank you Chas & Deirdre). Lynn was wished Happy Birthday toasted with prosecco.  

The Club  have been contacted by John Canham’s daughter to inform us that John has sadly passed away.
 

Many of the present members will have not have known John, but they may remember that the Club held special match in 2021,  against Kent County Bowling Association Past President’s team, where we presented John with a silver plaque to celebrate his 60 years of membership of the club.

John was a very important member of the Club where he held posts including President and Chairman of the Company. He was also very active in The Kent Country Bowling Association; having at one time been President. A picture of John in this role can be found above the Club bar and his name found on many of our honour boards.

John’s funeral, for which there is a  limit on numbers, will be held on 19th of December. The club will send representation.

The picture below is of John receiving the  silver  plaque on the day of his 60 year cerebration match. 

Club members  got together to wish President Alan Goodwin a happy  80th  birthday and thank him for all he does for the club. Alan is a very “hands on” president-  not only President and Green Ranger but also undertakes general maintenance at the Club.

He joins a select group of Club members of three who are in this age group. Alan in his speech suggested the we have a new over 80’s internal competition next year which,  if there were a separate men’s and ladies competitions, the men would only have to play one match, and the lady would be declared Champion without having  to play a match!

Those present enjoyed  sumptuous and ample food, provided and prepared by club members. There was also music – but no dancing though! 

Alan’s continued health was toasted with prosecco and a rendering of “Happy Birthday”.

The evening also gave the members a chance to meet socially during the winter off season.

Unfortunately your reporter forgot to take any photos of the evening, so the photo opposite shows Alan taking a well deserved rest after mowing the Green. 

The Club held its annual Firework night with some members bringing their children and grandchildren to enjoy the fireworks and hot food, hot dogs, burgers and soup, prepared by Glenys and Deirdre aided by Debs & Julie.

The evening started with the lighting of the bomb fire by David H & Tony, this was followed by the food and then the fireworks . 

The fire works, including  rockets and multi shot display quality fireworks, which produced an impressive and spectacle on light of sound. Chas as in past years, was responsible for the safe lighting of the fireworks.

The fire gives the Club the opportunity dispose of  wood accumulated though the year from the wood, garden and Club maintenance, as well as waste wood from our members. 

Thanks to those who helped to clear up the Club House at the end of the evening.

NB. There are no photos of the fireworks because they are difficult to photo, so again this year it’s another picture of the fire!

Because some of our trees were effecting our neighbours we had to get tree surgeons in to trim back the oak trees at the back of the Green at a cost of over £1000. The work was done in a very professional way and they also cut back some of trees that were impinging on the green. 

Can you spot a man with a chain saw in the tree?

This time of year, after the Green is closed for the winter, the Club employs Roger, an outside contractor, to hollow tine the Green (remove plugs of soil) and top dressed with sand and a fertiliser. The green is also seeded. The picture shows Roger on his tractor, last year, spreading some of four tons the top dressing. 

How does he get his tractor on the Green?(His tractor has tyres that don’t damage the green – I don’t know if he has flat shoe though!).