Annual Bowls Match

Last night the annual bowls match was played between Newbury Bowls Club and Newbury Town Council. This match has been held every year since 1958, and the winner receives the Sanders-Rose Pirouet Cup. Needless to say the cup pretty much lives in the bowls club - they have only lost three times since 1958.....until last night!!

Huge excitement - I couldn't believe we'd won! Even better, my team of four ended the evening scoring 26 to our opponents 4! I don't normally gloat like this, but the odds were stacked against us, and it was rather akin to England winning the world cup.

There were four teams of four on each side, and several spectators, and we had a very enjoyable evening, topped off with a ploughmans in the club house as it grew dark. It always seems so cosy in there, being in the centre of the park and looking at the stars through the open doors.

The Des Johnson Bench

Des Johnson was a Macebearer for Mayors of Newbury from 1987 until his death in 2003, and as such was the longest serving member of staff of the council. Like many Macebearers, Des was an ex-serviceman, and a keen member of the Royal Navy Association and British Legion.

I am photographed with his widow Pearl, on the new bench outside the Desmoulin Gallery on the wharf, which is dedicated to Des's memory.

Volunteer Centre West Berkshire

I paid a visit to the Volunteer Centre West Berkshire, in Bolton Place, just off Northbrook Street. Carol and I were shown around by the Centre's director, Garry Poulson. The Chair of West Berkshire Council, Brian Bedwell, was also there looking around.

Garry introduced us to the volunteer staff, many of whom have worked there for ten or more years. We also looked at volunteering statistics for the last full year - surprisingly there were many more 15 to 18 year olds volunteering than any other age group.

Finally we went out to the Pembroke Road multi-storey car park, which is situated adjacent to the Volunteer Centre to see the Shopmobility headquarters. Shopmobility is the name for the hire of electric scooters and wheelchairs. There are 23 scooters for hire of various shapes and sizes, and some electric and manual wheelchairs. The service is free to those who register, and it is very well used. Graham, who runs the shopmobility service, allowed Brian and I to have a go on a scooter and an electric wheelchair - you can see from the photo that I had fun spinning it round corners!

Fingerprints and Footsteps

This morning I met Lindy and Helen who are now over half way through their 170 mile sponsored walk raising money for stem cell therapy and chronic liver failure.

Lindy's great grandparents used to run the Monument Pub in Newbury, and her parents met whilst her mother worked at the Chequers hotel. I walked with Lindy and Helen from the Clock House to the Town Hall and wished them well on their way to Hurstbourne Tarrant, their stop for tonight.

Dracular Spectacular

On Friday night I took the whole family along to New Greenham Arts to see Newbury YoungStars' performance of Dracular Spectacular. Newbury Youngstars are the youth section of the Newbury Operatic Society, and are aged 8 to 16.

They had been rehearsing since January on this full-scale musical, and the amount of dances, songs and script they had memorised was amazing. The singing was particularly strong, and it looked like they were all enjoying themselves - my sons were pretty impressed, but said it would have been better without the romantic bits!