… what a great event!

To start with, those busy buzzy painting bees had re-done the outside of the clubhouse making it much smarter and setting off the hanging baskets beautifully.  Thank you.

And talking of hanging baskets, we have been raising funds so Margaret can organise more for next season.  Raffle tickets have been on sale for the last few weeks, months even, and, with Margaret helping out in the kitchen, Beryl was left in charge and she completely sold out!  It only seemed appropriate to draw the raffle after the main course yesterday.  There were plenty of prizes and plenty of winners.

In total, enough funds were raised which is brilliant!  Margaret also raises club funds with her home made jams and marmalades which are excellent and there are repeat purchases from visiting clubs.  At an average price of £2.70 for artisan top quality products, it’s a cinch.

Karen was masterminding BBQ prep in the kitchen assisted by Margaret (ace tomato slicer), Alison (brilliant onion slicer!), Alasdair (showed his knife skills with the spring onions) and Corinne (chopper, slicer, cutter, sweeper) whilst Julian, a visitor(!) and others swished the green which Tony O’B had set up.  Two ladies, whose names I have forgotten – apologies, cleaned all the cutlery  and then more people arrived, who were really getting into the swing of the afternoon …

As more arrived in an assortment of colourful shirts, skirts and dresses the occasion warmed up and Peter C, Gill C with various helpers and kitchen-runners took to THE BBQ.  Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Karen, Margaret and Dawn were taking it in turn to cook the mountain of onions to perfection and others took further supplies out to the hungry hoards.

Brian N, eager to help out the kitchen team, washed up all the knives and forks and collected empty glasses to return to the bar which had been manned over the day by Dawn, Alasdair and Paul S.  Thanks to them.

Everyone had piled into the dining room due to the somewhat inclement, windy, chilly Hawaiian weather, which gave a lull after the main course so Karen became IC Raffle as the dessert team beavered away in the kitchen.  The homemade  Pineapple Tiramisu gave Dawn considerable grief when transferring from a large pot into individual portion containers and  Karen’s  tropical  fruit skewers proved more fiddly than you’d think!  As for the Mango Sorbet (made especially by South Street Ice Cream Shop) provided another challenge until guest Susan showed us her chef’s knack of the scoop and a mug of hot water.  Her effort were much rounder and neater than the rest of us!  The tip was very welcome.

The chatter continued and after Peter, Tony O’B and Karen had given votes of thanks, Beryl took to the floor and announced that Brentford FC had won 3-1 at home v Southampton which received the (almost) biggest cheer of the day!

The kitchen team of Corinne, Susan, Dawn and Karen were up to the eyes and elbows in washing up as gradually the party came to close with just a few stragglers left when Karen and Dawn sat down to enjoy a glass of wine and a wind down after a long day on their feet.

It was so good to see the Southey’s, Gerry, Reg, Bob & Frances, the Bushells alongside other indoor members re-familiarising themselves with the environment as the next season rushes towards us. The new lighting was admired.  Bob has put a few sign up sheets for the early indoor matches.  More sheets will go up for evening/weekend roll ups in October.

If anyone has additional photos, please email them via the website and I will upload.

Thanks again to everyone who helped, with apologies to anyone missed by name, and came along to have fun and support the club.  A real club occasions with bowls, fun, laughter, chatter and good companionship.

More social events to come – check the tables between the dining room and the indoor green and sign up!  Skittles, Race Night, Bingo – and a quiz would be good for anyone wishing to take that under their wing.

Thanks to Julian for these photos