1985 1985 started at a considerable pace and the pace never stopped; the dedication of the Main Club Committee, the Land Committee and the Building Fund Committee with backing from the Sections is something the Club should always remember and treasure. In February 1985 an Extra-ordinary Annual General Meeting was held and the membership agreed the scheme to build the Clubhouse on Murston Park, they also agreed to appoint a Building Fund Committee who's aim would be to raise £10,000 in six months. The Chairman of the Committee was Ray Oddy with Sandra Tapp, Marion Gunn and Tony Rees joining him, this committee swiftly added Colin Gunn he Fund Raising Committee set about their task and amongst the events organised were 15,000 Draw Tickets for 5 televisions, 750 letters of appeal were sent out or delivered by hand, there were discussions on a Boot Fair, there was Wine and Wisdom, a Microwave demonstration, a Linen Party, a sale of artificial flowers, a stall at the Town Fete selling Draw Tickets, a 5 a-side competition in the schedule, a Christmas Jamboree and a half marathon. No time for the committee to get bored! In his report to the Annual General Meeting in May Ray Oddy thanked his SUPERB Committee then 25% towards their £10,000 target. At the Annual General Meeting Ray Oddy also reported for the Land Committee that Murston Park had new fences, nicely cut grass, swings back up. He thanked Colin Gunn, Brian Barttlett, Brian Sherwood, Jeff Kempster, Rusty Burgin, Bill Tingey, Peter Scales and Peter Wyeth for all their help over the ground. What a lot of letters Peter Scales must have written, how busy was Ray Oddy chairing the Land and Fund Raising Committees. In her report as Editor of the Newsletter Sandra Tapp thought that the past year must have been a record for the number of newsletters, Youngsters of the Month had gone down well and there was also a Story Competition. She thanked all the Main Club Committee who still went from door to door delivering newsletters. Brian Sherwood the Membership Secretary reported Membership as 229. The Youth Section continued to shine and thanks for their achievements in 1984/5 went to Len Bateman, Eddie Pilgrim, Chris Lancaster, Ivor Lewer and Cyril Smith. The Football Section Chairman Brian Bartlett also reported at the Annual General Meeting in May that the Saturday side won the Sittingbourne and Milton Charity Cup and were runners-up in the Rochester & District League, whilst the Sunday side managed by Dave Matthews won their division of the Medway Sunday League by a street, and highlighted the section's season by winning the Kent Junior Trophy for the first time in the Club's history. It had been agreed at Committee meetings that the Main Club Committee was too large especially taking into account the Sections' representatives, consequently the Main Club Committee wanted to introduce a Sections' Committee with a Chairman who would report back to the Main Club Committee. At the A.G.M. a Rule Amendment was passed which stated that the committee would comprise of the three officers: Chairman, General Secretary and Treasurer plus nine other members. Any Assistant Secretaries that the Main Club Committee deems as currently necessary to be appointed at the A.G.M. from the other 9 members. This was agreed at the A.G.M. and not only would an Assistant Secretary Sections be appointed but an Assistant Secretary Land and an Assistant Secretary Social. When Maggie Scales, Marion Gunn and Una Burgin suggested to SandraTapp that she stood as General Secretary as George Gibson would be standing down she had not considered it, there had never been a lady officer in the Club's history, but at the A.G.M. Colin Gunn and George Gibson proposed her and she was elected. The new committee was all elected unopposed, Chairman: Rusty Burgin, General Secretary: Sandra Tapp, Treasurer: Colin Gunn, Assistant Secretary Membership: Tony Cuthbert, Assistant Secretary Social: Ray Oddy, Assistant Secretary Sections: Brian Sherwood, Assistant Secretary Land: Peter, General Committee Members: Peter Wyeth, Len Bateman, Cliff Clements, Tony Rees, Shaun Burgin. The audited accounts on 28 May 1985 showed the Club with a net balance of £3,711.31. Sections had donated £650 to the Building Fund and there had been a grant from Shell of £200. David Burgin and Chris Oddy walked from Maidstone and raised £37.30. A massive £400.19 had been raised at a Hen Night and amongst the many other activities was a Sale of Gnomes which raised £3. There were 222 members which raised £444 and the 1000 Club had raised £565. At the Club's Presentation Dance the Club's Awards went to: Member of the Year Sandra Tapp, The Wendy Robert's Ladies Award to Jackie Sherwood, The Murston Park Shield to Cliff Clements and The Chairman's Award to Ray Oddy . The Land Secretary, Peter Scales had an enormous task as the Club relied on him to write so many letters, he always went about his tasks extremely professionally, letters such as writing for Permission under the Lease to have a bar in the proposed new Clubhouse, applying for detailed planning permission, he applied for sports grants, Application for Building Bye Laws and Regulations. Peter attended meetings and followed through on all the aspects relating to the land and proposed clubhouse throughout the year. As the Land Secretary Peter had a dual task, firstly the Planning side and secondly the practical side, with regard to the practical side he asked Brian Bartlett to continue as fixtures manager. In November it was agreed to appoint a Groundsman who would start work in 1986 , and who could do day-to-day jobs and to be on-the-spot, as it was agreed that the goodwill of members had been replied on too long. The groundsman would be paid £20 per week and a trial period of one year was agreed. Jeff Kemster was appointed. On 30 December 1985 an “on Site” meeting was held on Murston Park by the Land Management Sub-Committee: Rusty Burgin, Colin Gunn, Peter Wyeth, Shaun Burgin and Peter Scales and it was agreed amongst other things to turf 450 sq. yds which would cost about £300? Throughout the year discussions continued with Sittingbourne Ladies Hockey team about joining as a Section and they agreed to put in about £250 to create a hockey pitch and to form a new section. They even sent a representative to the Sections' Meetings. The new Sections' Committee meetings took place the third Monday in the month and information was relayed back and forth by the Section Secretary Brian Sherwood between this committee and the Main Club Committee. The sections were Football, Cricket, Badminton, Gardening, Youth, Video, with Golf and Hockey added and each section had a representative, Brian Bartlett also attended as Fixtures Secretary. On 19 August 1985 19 replies had been received from Members interested in starting a Golf Section and 10 names were duly put forward, a proposal by Tony Cuthbert seconded Peter Wyeth “That the formation of a Woodcoombe Golf Society be agreed” was passed unanimously. The golfers duly set off on their first competition on 3 October at Sittingbourne Golf Club. The Section's Officers were: Fred Taylor Chairman, Barrie Tapp Secretary and Fred Grover Treasurer. The Club's social diary remained as full as ever to the end of the year, there was a Linen Party, Cricket Day, Youth Disco at the Town Hall, Grand Draw, Boot Fair, Car Rally, Disco, Horse Race Evening, Jumble Sale, Christmas Family Disco, Children's Christmas party and at the beginning of July Clements put forward the idea of staging a half marathon event to be run on 6 April 1985 . Cliff went along to several half marathons and also took advice fromSteve Steer of Sittingbourne Striders. On 7 October a committee to deal with the half marathon had taken shape and were in full flow, the committee comprised to Cliff Clements, Steve Steer , Sandra Tapp, Colin Gunn and Ray Oddy. Letters had gone out to various firms for sponsorship, St. John's Ambulance and car parking were organised, 1000 leaflets had gone out at other races. Harpers the jewellers had donated a Veteran's Cup, there was a donation from Eden Park Nurseries, Val Smith offered £50 to pay for all the orange which would be on offer at the eventual six watering stations, the Timing System and P.A. System were in the pipeline, sample medals had arrived, Inta Sun had given us first prizes of £200 Holiday Vouchers and we were having a meeting with the East Kent Gazette. Over the next few months £50 petrol to the first Sittingbourne runner to cross the finishing line was donated by Swale Motors, and Swale Motors agreed to provide a car for the clock.. Adverts appeared in running magazines, a C.B. system across the course was being organised Our very first Christmas Jamboree Produced and Directed by Rose Hines ably assisted by Una Burgin , costumes by the aforementioned Lights, Colin Gunn Props, and Bill Tingey with his clipboard, nobody moved without Bill's say so! Out front Mark Baldock stood with a very large video camera, modern for the day. Rose and Una had spent 6 months and towards the end three nights a week rehearsing the caste, and also Sunday mornings with the very young children. Front Line were the resident group to the right of the stage comprising Nick Gunn, Alan ( chop ) Lambert, Tony Gamball, Steve Austin and Craig Winter, Chop acted as M.C. and also as M.C. in the Audience participation of the Mr & Mrs Quiz assisted by Deborah Burgin. The show opened with The Rosettes, all girls in their mid teens, Rachel Smith, Kerry Gunn, Sue Tapp, Pea Mount, Catrina Snell, Julie Mapp, Natalie Smith, Nina Smith, Marie Smith (not related) and Jodie Harcup who unfortunately could not dance as she broke her arm. What a sensation they were, they appeared several times during the show but brought the house down with their final number the Can Can. The Choristers comprised of 18 young singers between the age of 4 and 13 singing Christmas carols, after Feed the World was sung by the Rosettes and Front Line the Choristers returned to sing the Christmas Alphabet, with her long blond hair 4 year old Jadfe Bryant was a little show stopper when she turned round holding the letter H, the youngsters all put their heart and sole into the occasion. The Delinquents sang Two Little Boys, and we were treated to Eddie Pilgrim the comedian, signs kept coming on behind him with the words “Applaud” and “Laugh” and they tried to wheel him in with a large fishing hook, ( still don't get the joke about the “Dog on the Escalator”). The Great Raymondo Ray Oddy in disguise sang “If I Were A Rich Man” and Tina Tingey did Lily Marlene. Cliff Clements sang Leaning on a Lamppost until Trish Shepherd wondered by. Wendy Bryant and Sandra Tapp sang Sisters and a saucy ditty “Good Girl”, Kenina did D Train. The Silhouettes: Una Burgin, Delcey Rees, Wendy Bryant, Tina Tingey and Marion Gunn led a sing song. Nice to see them in front of the curtain! The committee did “If I were not Upon the Stage” which was very funny, first on was Tony Rees dressed as a Fireman bucket in hand singing his ditty, next on Cliff Clements as a sweep with broom in hand, followed by Rusty Burgin who wanted to be a Football Referee, clad in black uniform and bouncing a ball, then came Brian Bartlett who with spade in hand wanted to be a Groundsman, John Rees followed dressed in Welsh Rugby Supporters gear and carrying a very large Leak, when he started singing “Come on Wales” this sparked re-action from the “Groundsman”. Then on came Ray Oddy, the fairy of your dreams offering 3 wishes with wand in hand. Sandra Tapp came on last as a Gym Teacher doing exercises which of course all the others joined in knee bending and all! What a noise they made all trying to “sing” their own bit at the same time. Rose Hines was elected Lady of the Year the following May and she certainly earned it. During 1985 several approaches to Blue Circle with reference to the A.P.C.M. Clubhouse had drawn a blank but on 9 December the Chairman Rusty Burgin called a special committee meeting when a reply was received from Wards. A set of the following papers was put in front of each committee member: Copy of reply from Wards A statement of estimated running costs of the A.P.C.M. prepared by the Club's Officers and this was explain A draft reply to Blue Circle The draft reply was discussed at length, it was recognised that, although the letter was in the form of an offer, as requested by BCI there would be no commitment at this stage, only agreement to negotiate. The committee unanimously agreed that the terms set out were acceptable and that the letter should be sent to BCI. A reply was received and the Club's Officers Rusty Burgin, Sandra Tapp, Colin Gunn and Peter Scales (Land Secretary) met and on Christmas Eve 1985 sent a letter agreeing to BCI's terms. At the same time the plans for the building of the Clubhouse on Murston Park proceeded as approval of the drawings lasted for 7 years. Christmas 1985 for the Club was one to be celebrated, it looked like a lot of hard work and enthusiasm would reap reward in 1986 ! |