Event - National Conference at Southport

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Below is a report from our Dining Manager. I have left the gallery available for further photographic additions, so come on, send me your prized snaps of the event! (your Webmaster)

Shirley Late Knights at Southport

Over the years Shirley Late Knights have been to Tangent and 41Club National Conferences and each year we seem to turn up in ever increasing numbers and have even more fun. 

So it was no surprise when on the Friday morning 17^th April six of us turned up to participate in the Golf competition at Hesketh Golf Club, a mix of heathland and links. The only other club with as big a representation was Southend who send huge numbers to conference in general and eight to the golf.

In bright, relatively good conditions, the scoring was mixed and at the end of the day Mike “Chico the Mexican Bandit” Clarke came in with 41 points to win the individual competition. An unbelievable score to anyone, except for members of SLK who know what to expect. Letters to the Shirley match secretary are bound to pass.   What’s more the Shirley team of Greg Fanning, Steve Handsley and Mike won the team prize, with Steve winning nearest the pin. Tim Brown would have won it if he had written on the card on the second hole and as no one else hit the green and the flag was moved on to another hole.

The President’s Night Ball followed rapidly on with all the ladies in their finest and a night of food, fun and dancing to live bands playing 60’s music. Renewed friendships with Moseley and Coleshill, a really good night. A huge cardboard Lancaster bomber toured the dance floor to accompany the Dambusters Theme Tune. These people are nuts.

On to the AGM. As usual it started promptly at 9.00am and went on and on. All the old faces. Open membership was debated and the lines drawn were all for or against until Barry Durman stood up and said that whether you were for or against it was already happening in clubs up and down the country. The tone changed with all parties, including the National President Drew admitting that the Treasurer of his own club was not an Ex Tabler. Sacrilege. Even so all of the ex-national presidents  voted against, all National councillors seemed to vote in favour. Overall the vote was carried and the executive now have a year to come up with proposals. It seems that 41 Club will become another Rotary with new external members and I suppose eventually you ask why would we need Table at all. 

The AGM goes on for ever……. The highlight was the Team golf prize being dropped by Greg and bouncing off a table.

The Ladies meanwhile start with a lunch and then have their AGM in the afternoon. This seems to go on forever as well.

We had a quick rehearsal for the fancy dress in the B & B, but whilst we had the gist of the dance, the chairs and tables did get in the way. We commit to meet in the car park of the Raddison Hotel to “perfect” the routine. 

So at 6.30 we all assembled in the car park, fully attired as Fairies Crossing the Mersey. Mike, Greg and Barry all sporting tutus along with the ladies, the rest of the team were carrying the blue cloth which would be the Mersey. We did get some funny looks as we strutted our stuff in the car park.  So on to the Party, where we passed the first judges scrutiny to check if it was legal, honest and fair, and after the meal we were invited to perform amongst two other Ferries Crossing the Mersey, Geriatric and his Pacemaker, Lily the Pink and  Twist and Shout.   We performed and the response was good, with I think the crowd being egged on by Coleshill and Moseley who knew what sort of thing to expect. Obviously the men in dresses and tights won the vote. Barry camping it up, a sight not to be missed. Great routine Helen.

The high was too much for some and Greg came down for breakfast still wearing his tutu. The gay owners of the B & B were suitably impressed especially when they saw the size of his silver cup

How do we follow that in Scarborough?

A great fun weekend. 

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