1995

1995

In 1995 the whole country would be celebrating the 50 th Anniversary of the ending of World War 2 and to enjoy these celebrations where's the best place to be, in the Clubhouse of course!

The VE party on 8 th May was organised in the style of a Street Party for the children and each child received a souvenir coin, 170 children turned up in fancy dress and prizes were given to the most imaginative; there was a lot of noise and excitement. In the evening there was a barbeque disco for the adults. Needless to say a lot of hard work went into this by the Social Committee.

On 19 th August VJ Day Celebrations were celebrated once again in Fancy Dress with a sing along in the lounge with Ken Wood.

1995 was generally a year of consolidation for the Club and it would not be until August that a new general push was made for further improvements. In the meantime the Club proceeded “business as usual”.

In January Indoor Games donated £300 towards a pool table, and it was agreed pitch fees be paid at the end of the season. Later in the year it was agreed that pitch fees for 1995/1996 would remain at £5. February brought a surprise when it came to light that Whitbread had made a mistake with our invoices and a refund of around £780 would be coming our way in one form or another. The Tote was bringing in £95 per week and the Youth Section offered to help clear up the Tennis Court area. Colin Gunn's request for the installation of piping beneath the floor of the hallway for the new Calor Gas System when refurbishment of the toilet/cellar starts, was agreed.

When Colin Gunn was off sick in March son Nick Gunn again stepped into his shoes, but Colin returned with the idea of a survey of Members asking them their expectations from the Club, he even brought along a draft questionnaire. This questionnaire went out with the Renewal Membership Form and would be analysed later in the year showing from 230 returns that we were going in the right direction.

Indoor Games were discussing Indoor Bowls in March, whilst outside Swale Borough Council agreed to put the new play equipment on the bottom corner of the new plot of land, this was opened on 25 July.

At the beginning of May a canopy over the rear entrance was up and a small chimney put in the roof of the barbeque to help get rid of the smoke. Also out back the cricket nets were repaired and up ready for practise to commence.

At the Annual General Meeting the Chairman Rusty Burgin offered many congratulations to the U.18 Football Team who had just pulled off the double. He also said “How pleasing to hear Councillor Austen speak about the excellent standard and condition of Murston Park .

The Treasurer Peter Scales reported that the Club had spent £87,000 on improvements and £6,000 was set aside for new equipment. Geoff Marriott reported Membership as 541 Full Members, 54 O.A.Ps . and 11 Honorary Members.

A new Rule was passed which would mean that each Club Officer would be appointed for a term of three years and would be up for re-elected on a rotating basis. It was agreed that the elected Chairman would hold the position from this Annual General Meeting for 3 years, the Treasurer for 2 years and the General Secretary for 1 year. It was also agreed that Membership Renewal would be £10 and for new Members £20.

The new committee would drop the appointment of an Assistant Secretary Bar and replace this with Assistant Secretary Minutes Taker. The elected committee was: Rusty Burgin Chairman, Terry Wellard General Secretary, Peter Scales Treasurer, Mark Ingram Membership Secretary, Brian Sherwood Assistant Secretary Minutes, Brian Bartlett Land, Paul Ryder Social, Neil Matthews Editor, and the four General Committee Members elected were: Colin Gunn, John Page, Richard Beard, and Mally White. When Mark Ingram had to resign due to personal reasons in August the Membership Secretary's post was taken over by Colin Gunn and Garth Moore co-opted onto the committee.

Under Section Reports Bob O'Rawe reported that Table Tennis had won the 3 rd Division; Judy Page reported that Gardening had been to the Faversham Brewery, spent a day at Pinetum in Bedgebury followed by a tea at a herb nursery, and a visit to a local nursery. The new Chairman of Gardening was Archie Huntely and the Treasurer Jane Elliott.

Eddie Pilgrim Secretary of the Youth Section was over the moon to report that the Under 18 team pulled off the double by winning the 1 st Division and the League Cup. The Colts finished half way up the league and the U.11, U.15 and U.16 teams had joined the U.18 team in the Medway City Boys League. Dave Matthews the Football Section Secretary amusingly reported that the Woodcoombe Social side and Woodcoombe had met each other in the Kent Cup and it took a replay for the Social side led by Richard Beard to reach the quarter final, but alas! Cricket in the meantime had a below average season.

Terry Wellard in his Bar Report to the Annual General Meeting thanked Colin Newnham for the new bar stools, all the Bar Staff and cleaners, a special thanks to Nick Graham and Colin Newnham the “Tote Team”, and to Nick Graham and Paul Rider organisers of the Summer Knockout which was won by Brian Dungey . When Terry Wellard was appointed Chairman of the Bar Committee in July, yet another roll for him, Nick and Paul, Roger Ford and Paul Verrill became the new Bar Committee.

At the Club's Presentation Dinner Members enjoyed “Prawn Cocktail, Roast Beef and vegetables, Apple Pie and Custard followed by Coffee and Mint”, then presentations were made to: Member of the Year Mark Ingram, Lady of the Year Marion Gunn, Murston Park Shield E. Huntley, and the Chairman's Award was presented to Brian Roalf .

Golf had a very enjoyable year with Lee Fisher winner of the “Mike Savage Memorial Trophy”, winner of the “ Woodcoombe Shield ” winner of the “Society Championship” for the year and voted “Golfer's Golfer ”, some achievement. John Hancock won the “ Mizpah Tropy ”, Alan Blundy the “Captain's Prize”, Mally White the “Whitbread Challenge Trophy”, Fred Taylor the “Jock Weir Trophy” and Chris Keen was the winner of the “Murston Park Cup”. Brian Bartlett was voted the “Committee's Golfer of the Year” and Terry Saunders awarded the “Chairman's Putter” for the year.

Colin Newnham as Captain and Bill Tingey as Vice Captain led the golfers out onto the courses at Faversham, Lamberhurst , Ashford, Walmer and Kingsdown and Chestfield plus 3 days at Coltesmore Country Club. In July a Board showing the Golf Society winner of the “Woodcoombe Shield” was put up in the Games Room. To celebrate the 10 th Anniversary of the Society Chairman of 10 years Fred Taylor was honoured with Life Membership of the Society.

The Social Committee had a new committee in July under the Chairmanship of Paul Ryder what a hard working committee they were. Marion Gunn, Trish Shepherd, Jan Pilgrim, Jackie and Mally White, Terry Wellard, George Moss, Judy Page and Doreen Arnold.

Apart from the “War” celebrations the Social Committee organised an outing to Drusillas Park for the children, many music nights in the bar and bingo once a month, Bank Holiday Fun Days, a Hen night, Karaoke, a wonderful Fireworks Spectacular costing £1,000 with Colin Newnham organising the marshals, and a Quiz Evening “Whine and Not a Lotta Wisdom”. Janet Pilgrim's team came out winners of the Quiz, with 94 points out of 125, yes must have been the wine, although maybe Judy Page's team could have sampled a bit more of the wine than Janet's team as they landed up with the booby prize of onions to give them something to cry about – don't think so!

On 7 August the Club's Officers met representatives from Swale Borough Council to discuss a grant from the National Lottery Foundations. Rusty Burgin reported to the committee “The package was to restore the bowling green and tennis courts plus finishing the extension. The original offer of £18,000 from The Foundation of Sports and Arts was still on the table and Swale Borough Council was prepared to match it: the rest to be met by grants.” The Architect was instructed to re-draw plans incorporating alterations brought in by the Council.

In November after a meeting with the Council the Club applied for planning permission. Estimates for the tennis courts, bowling green , car parking area and extension had been obtained by the Council and we were looking at over £177,000. It was hoped to get 65% from the Lottery and the rest would come from the Club and the Council would match the grant on offer from the Foundation for Sport & Arts.

Judy Page a very valued member of staff gave her notice in in August and Lynn Morrison replaced her as Deputy Bar Manager in October.

In October the Football section were in crisis when the Senior Sunday side ceased and the Youth Section were asked to take over all the football within the Club.

The last quarter of the year saw Brian Bartlett purchase a walking sprayer and the line marker was repaired. A lot of work had been done by the goundsmen for the start of the football season and across the road the Park looked great, behind the Clubhouse they had done a fine job too.

The committee were planning work in the kitchen including blocking up the window and putting in an extractor fan, a new store behind the bar, new tables for the hall, the clubroom needed re-decorating and they wanted to fit canopies over the end doors, and there were still problems with the south wall in the games room it was agreed to block up the windows. In November there was a major problem with coolers in the cellar which were deteriorating due to age, the estimate on this one was over £3,600 but it had to be done.

The year ended when Brian Bartlett went shopping for a CCTV system for the Children's Room, it was agreed the Majorettes could use the hall for practice when available as it was in use most nights, and just in time for Christmas new bar stools were purchased.

All the normal and expected celebrations for Christmas were organised “Apollo Roadshow ” Disco in the bar on the 9 th December, “Knight Mixer” Disco in the hall on Christmas Eve, and “Apollo Roadshow ” Disco in the hall on Boxing Day not forgetting Santa house calls on the children on Christmas morning. New Years Eve celebrations were for Members only when “Knight Mixer” once again took to the stage in the hall.