A Member of the Round Table Family
Number 43, October 2013
Of Clubs
For 2013 the National Golf Finals found a new home at Ladbrook Park Golf Club, near Solihull. On a clear Thursday in late September teams from twelve regions competed for the Cochran Trophy, and the results show that home advantage does help. Congratulations to the members of the Shirley Late Nights team, who now have the distinction of being both the National and Conference golf champions. If your region does not currently hold a golf competition then why not challenge a few local clubs and enjoy the fellowship. The winners can enter the National Final.
Results: Individual: Mike Clarke (Shirley Late Knights) Team - for the Cochran Trophy: Shirley Late Knights - (Dave Ollis, Mike Clarke, Andy Watkinson, Richard Halstead) Runner up Team: Newport (Bill Jones, Mark Ashton, Dave Tamlyn, Chris Cann) Longest Drive (at the 18th hole): Lyndon Bent (Exeter) Nearest The Pin (at the 8th hole): Alan Wright (Chippenham)
Shirley Late Knights
Mike Clarke
Alan Wright
Editor Ray Hill National Communications Officer comms@41club.org
Copy Date for November Newsletter 25th October 2013
Editorial The world we live in is changing faster every day. When I was was in Round Table the home computer was in its infancy, there was no affordable home publishing software, printers were very expensive, and slow, and we had not heard of the Internet or email. We relied on word of mouth, telephones, the Royal Mail and those with access to photocopiers for all of our communications.
members on your behalf and this will involve the use of current technology and social media. Before you panic we are not planning on spending vast amounts of money on this and we will not be abandoning any of the communication techniques we currently use. But we will investigate all cost-effective methods, some of which have no cost at all, other than our time.
Now all of this has changed and the vast majority of us rely on technology for instant communications. We even navigate with a little box in the car's dashboard or stuck on the windscreen with a voice (often a woman's) telling us where to turn and when we have arrived at our destination. We now take for granted things that were pipedreams when we were Tablers.
Those who have left Table in the last 20 years are of the electronic generation and conduct much of their business and communications via a keyboard. (Many Tables conduct their business by email as it presents instant communications rather than waiting two weeks for a meeting.) They enjoy communicating via Twitter, Facebook, Linked In and other social media. I would like to hear from our members who use these social media; how they use them, how they think we can At 41 Club we have slowly adopted this new technology, use them to our advantage and how they can help us spread adapted it to serve our needs and now we need to improve our the word. To survive we must move forward in this brave new communications to contact those many thousands of exworld. Tablers who have not joined 41 Club. This monthly electronic newsletter was probably the biggest step forwards we had Ray Hill taken in a long time, but it is not received by all members. We comms@41club.org are now planning a marketing campaign to reach prospective
41 Club Calendar 2014
The 2014 Calendar is now on sale and features a selection of photographs from the National Photographic Competiton. The price remains at ÂŁ5 with all profits being donated to Macmillan Cancer Support. For your copy please contact your Regional Councillor or send a cheque for ÂŁ6.50p (including post and packaging) to Ray Hill, The Huntsmans Lodge, Wimboldsley, Cheshire, CW10 0LL
Macmillan News Congratulations and thanks to Alan Foxwell of Knowle and Dorridge 41 Club who organised a coffee morning at home in aid of Macmillan's World's Biggest Coffee Morning. The event raised just over ÂŁ1,000 which has been passed to Macmillan and will be included in the total raised by the club. A fuller account of the coffee morning will be in the November magazine. Well done Alan from all at National.
On-Line Donations Several members have asked if they can make donations via the internet and can they then add gift aid in order that Macmillan can claim back the tax?
As this newsletter was being prepared we were sad to hear of the passing of Colin Painton (National President 1977-78). A full obituary will appear in the March edition of the magazine.
The answer to both questions is YES. Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/41club-macmillan and if you are a private individual you can opt for gift aid. This means that the Chancellor will add a further 25% to that donation.
SHOWTIME! 41 Club and Tangent National Conference Bournemouth 2014 24th to 27th April Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. ~ Samuel Ullman
Vice President Jim Smith proudly introducing the newest member of 41 Club to fellow golfers at the recent National Golf Final. Perhaps he should first check the rules to make sure that green Daleks are actually eligible to join the club!
Harpenden Go To Town At Harpenden 41 Club we like to get out in the summer, so at a recent meeting we organised a guided walk in London. Yet another glorious hot summers day saw us convene at Harpenden station where Train Monitor Alan Falconer organised cheap group tickets and got us on the right train. Just across the road from the new south exit to Blackfriars station is the Doggetts Coat and Badge pub, where we met our colleagues already in town for work. There was time to stand outside and enjoy a pint. In fact, with the warm sun, 8 different real ales, and a continuous display of young ladies clad in lycra jogging past us, there was a move to simply stay there instead of starting our walk. However, Andy Rose galvanised the 24 of us and introduced us to our guide, Neil, who announced that we would be walking round the Blackfriars area. We would stop at various points and be asked questions about that spot. If we got them wrong, we would have to commit a forfeit.
We ended up on the south bank of the Millennium Bridge, and Alan McEvoy was the smartiepants who got most of the questions right, earning him a nominal prize, and brief respect from the rest of us. Then we strolled along to a nearby Greek restaurant, which was very busy but expecting us. It seemed Thus most of us ended up on Blackfriars bridge, singing they weren’t expecting us to eat however, as it took 55 minutes “Jerusalem” to the commuters walking by, as we were unable for our (cold salad and dip) starters to arrive. Eventually we all to pick the correct answer (from a choice of two). In fact, we had a good feed and a large discount was negotiated. quite enjoyed it, and sang it again. A short stroll brought us back to Blackfriars, where Chairman Andrew Cawthorpe took advantage of the 7 minute wait for the train to have a business meeting on platform 2.
Finally, the occupants of our carriage were treated to a Peter Hubball joke session, which, thankfully, was clean, and funny! And so we went on, through alleyways and courtyards, hardly A super evening, and thanks to Andy Rose for organising it. walking on main roads at all, with fascinating facts, and equally fascinating forfeits for wrong answers to Neil’s quiz questions. Graham Wood, Harpenden 41 Club
To err is human To ahh is piratical
In last month's newsletter I asked for suggestions on how we can help individual clubs in their search for new members. The response has been a little disappointing; in fact it has been absolutely zero. Does this mean that there is not a single club that needs help recruiting new members? Is every club totally satisfied with their numbers and find it easy get new members? I think not! So come on, please put your collective thinking caps on and suggest ways in which we can work together to ensure that 41 Club has a future and not just a past. Gentlemen Region 20 Dinner – Oxford– Friday November 8th 2013, 7.30 for 8.00 It is once again my great pleasure to invite you all to the Region 20 Dinner which will again take place in the superb surroundings of The Hall at Exeter College in the centre of the City of Oxford. With National President Martin Green, an exceptional speaker, a superb meal and an evening of great fellowship. With reasonably priced Wine and Port what more can you want?
I am very pleased to see that Macmillan is your chosen charity. I am writing to ask whether you could give publicity to the Macmillan Mammoth Quiz. It seems to me that it might have a lot of appeal for us old codgers (as in people who cogitate). It is on 28th February next year and you will no doubt be aware of it. I have run one in the name of HAWK 41 for the last two years, raising over £500. Anna Webb sends out all the bumf and lots of advice - and the whole package only costs £10. She has a Guinness World Record set in 2012 for most simultaneous quizzes, and has raised over £100,000.
The booking form can be downloaded from the 'What's On' section at www41club.org
It would be great to have the extra boost that 41 can give to increase participation / find organisers.
Yours in Continued Friendship
If it's already in your plans then apologies, but thank you, anyway, for reading this.
Frank Venables 41 Club National Councillor Region 20
YICF Peter Ryan, Hoylake & West Kirby 41 Club
JOIN US IN NERJA ANY TIME FROM THURSDAY 30th OCTOBER TO SUNDAY 2nd NOVEMBER 2014 BEAT THOSE AUTUMN BLUES IN A PLACE WHERE THE SUN REALLY DOES SHINE VENUE APARTHOTEL MARINAS DE NERJA A FULL WEEK-END OF FELLOWSHIP THURSDAY ARRIVE EARLY GET TO KNOW THE AREA PLUS AN EARLY BIRD’S SUPPER FRIDAY 41 CLUB NERJA 10th ANNIVERSAY DINNER SATURDAY AGM, LADIES EVENT AND SIGHTSEEING WITH CLUSTER GALA DINNER SUNDAY FAREWELL BREAKFAST THEN TRAVEL, RELAX OR PLAY GOLF WE ARE OFFERING GREAT VALUE PACKAGES TO SUIT YOUR NEEDS FOR ALL THE INFORMATION ON THE ENTIRE EVENT VISIT OUR WEBPAGE www.41clubnerja.org & click on the Iberian Cluster 2014 Bu on
50 Years Of Bowler Hats ! 24th SEPTEMBER 1963, the inaugural meeting to form Bridlington Past Table and which was celebrated 50 years to the day on the 24th September 2013. A special presentation of an engraved tankard was made to Peter Holt, now in his 90th year, who was elected the first Vice Chaiman at that meeting and is now a honorary member. His connection with the Round Table/Past Table now totals 70 years - is this a record? The celebration dinner was attended by National President Martin Green, Past National President Frank Bull from Whitby in his 88th year, members of Bridlington Round Table 42, Bridlington 41's, many former members of Bridlington RT 42 together with representatives from Past Tables in West Yorkshire. In fact, the number of decorations worn was quite dazzling! As a memento of Martin's visit to Bridlington he was presented with a bowler hat by Chairman Mike Thompson wearing a top hat. In Bridlington Past Table it is a tradition, the reason for which is lost in the mists of time, to bring a bowler hat to business meetings and the AGM which must be worn when votes are cast - no bowler, no vote - and the Chairman must wear a top hat! A typical Table meeting of fellowship and old friendships renewed, culminating in a raffle which raised ÂŁ200 for Martin's chosen charity - Macmillan Cancer Care. Richard J Graves, Secretary, Bridlington Past Table
dates For The Diary Friday 25th October White Rose near Leeds Friday 1st November Red Rose Dinner, Lytham St Annes Friday 8th November Region 20 Dinner, Exeter College, Oxford Wednesday 11th December The Lamb at Leadenhall London Christmas Dinner Monday 13th January Martin Young Cluster, Southend Friday 28th February St David’s Day Dinner, Wrexham Monday 3rd March Smethick Cluster Wednesday 5th March Mid Wales Cluster Thursday 6th March Region 21 Severnvale Dinner, Brickhampton Golf Club Friday 7th March Dorset Knobs Friday 14th March Region 4 Prince Bishops Dinner, Durham