1983

1983

At the end of 1982 the Club had 217 paid members and 8 honorary, by January 1983 membership had risen to 252, and the 1000 Club still pulled in money with 196 shareholders. The Club was looking to raise money for the ground and also looking at re-naming it.

In February 1983 our Sunday Football team was second in the League and the Saturday team half way up the League, Cricket showed a full cricket fixture list for the coming season. Orange peel left on the field and bolts going missing for the goalposts were the minor problems the Land Committee found itself dealing with. The Land Committee requested £90 to purchase 600 hawthorn bushes, a cheap way to form a good hedge. Suggestions for the new name for the playing field were: Griffin Park, Coombe Park, Oldchurch Park and The Coombe and it was decided to ballot the membership, but in March it was decided to leave the name until the A.G.M.

Members of the Land Committee had salvaged old fencing from Crommers Road and looked to members to help plant bushes on 9 April, 629 were planted. The Main Club Committee were looking at all aspects of insurance, and it was agreed to buy a special lawn mower costing £400 for the cricket square. The Club committees worked long hard hours and it is noted that the meeting on 11 April had to continue on 18 April as there was so much to discuss especially with the Annual General Meeting due.

In May 1983 Dave Matthews' Sunday football team was reported to have won their Cup Final 7-0 and also the Sheppey League Cup Final, they were also runners-up in their League; great improvements also with the Saturday side. Youth Section also reported Woodcoombe '81 had finished runners up in their league and Woodcoombe Colts runners-up in the 5 a-side competition. The Youth Section also had a new committee with Eddie Pilgrim Chairman, Tony Rees Secretary, Colin Gunn Treasurer, and other members were: Paddy and Rose Hines, Eve Smith, Ivor Lewer, Len Bateman, Chris Lancaster and Tony Hill.

In May 1983 it was also reported that the Council would help with the moving of the swings and also with the laying of a concrete base for a garage. COLIN GUNN attended a Council meeting in July when an unknown Councillor commented favourable on the work the Club was doing on the land which led to the consideration of limiting the garage to a ten year lease being defeated. The laying of the concrete base for the garage and the movement of the swings and slides started in July.

The Club's Presentation Buffet/Dance took place in May when the Chairman's Award was presented to Brian Sherwood , Member of the Year was Colin Gunn and the Wendy Robert's Cup for Lady of the Year was presented to Margaret ScalesS.

Eddie Pilgrim had been the Club's Chairman for 6 years and in 1983 he chose to go back to the Youth Section and was elected as their Chairman, he did not stand for re-election as Club Chairman. Rusty Burgin and Eddie Pilgrim both seemed to have had a “love affair” with helping run the Youth Section over the years and devoted many hours to promoting it. It is no surprise that Rusty then came back to take over the reigns of Main Club Chairman as this role is where both men excelled.

At the Annual General Meeting in May 1983 the committee was elected in the knowledge that they would continue the difficult task of forwarding the Land and raising the necessary “cash” to keep everything running smoothly, this all done in conjunction with the Land Committee; the Land Committee remained forthright and determined in their tasks, and the Main Club Committee had to be a strong one. The committee elected was: Rusty Burgin, Chairman, George Gibson General Secretary, Peter Scales Treasurer, Brian Sherwood Membership Secretary, Sandra Tapp returned as Editor, 1000 Club Secretary Pat Bartlett, General Committee Members were: Ray Oddy, Terry Wellard, Bob Parry, Richard Baker and David Sansom who was co-opted on to replace Eve Smith. On 9 May just prior to the Club's end of financial year there was £753.89 in the bank and Membership stood at 254 including 8 honorary members.

Some Rule Amendments were made at the Annual General Meeting but a new rule was also added and adopted which stated: “Club members cannot be elected into officership of main club unless they have been a full club member for one year. Officers being defined as: Chairman, General Secretary and Treasurer.”

In June the Badminton Section with Bob Parry in the driving seat was formed with the blessing of K.C.C. who agreed we could use Lansdown School twice a week. The committee officers were: Bob Parry , Chairman, Margaret Parry Secretary, and Jackie Sherwood Treasurer.

A Jumble Sale was held in July which raised £90, and the Land Draw was made at a barbeque, a lot of effort to sell tickets was made by committee members and the profit was £130 plus £36 on the actual barbeque; obviously the Club was trying to raise as much money as possible.

In July Gardening Section once again held a Make Bake and Grow Show and Cliff Clements reported that the event had attracted 182 entries.

Sandra Tapp was busy organising a sponsored walk for 18 September. The walk started from under the new Woodcoombe Sports and Social Club sign on the edge of the field in the car park, a sign lovingly designed by Terry Harper , and went up to Brenley Corner. Colin Gunn, Bill Tingey and Keith Baldock followed the walkers by car serving up drinks and sandwiches as required. The walkers were: Pat Bartlett, Marion Gunn, Tina Tingey, Sandra Tapp, Tony Rees, George Gibson, Eddie Pilgrim, Rose Hines, Chris Oddy, Kerry Gunn, Val Slater, T. Jewiss, Richard Baker, Ron and Vera Miller, Cliff Clements. They raised £393.40 which went into the Building Fund.

The Building Fund was boosted when Chris Newbold brought a brick and Maggie Scales and Sandra Tapp donated another £30 buying 30 bricks between them. Pat Bartlett raised £11.05 by saving crisp packets and £11 by running a Christmas catalogue, the Bring and Buy at Sandra's house raised £7.20.

The October disco raised £165.64 and the Christmas Dance £116.03, other Christmas activities i.e. Childrens' party and Santa visits on Christmas day also happened as usual, but the Committee's aim was to run everything at a profit.

In December Ray Oddy met Councillors with regard to our responsibilities regarding the swings, also in December the Land Committee purchased gang mowers for a bargain price of £130 as Blox Knox was going into liquidation, the Main Club Committee authorised the Land Committee to spend another £500 if they could do a bulk buy in relation to this liquidation.

In December 1983 Richard Baker a Club Member and our friendly Architect had an informal meeting with Swale Borough Council with regard to outline planning permission for a Clubhouse on Murston Park , the Chairman reported that it was hoped to submit full drawings by our next Annual General Meeting in May. A very positive way to end 1983 .