AGM & Lunch

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The Club's 45th Annual General Meeting was held at Tottington Manor, Edburton and was attended by 58 members.

The Chairman, David Stedman, welcomed all members and guests, and he was delighted to report another year of fellowship and enjoyment, and thanked the Club officials for their continued hard work during the year and also to the members who had assisted by organising rambles during the year. A full copy of David's Report is included within the AGM Minutes that are available to view HERE.

Our Social Secretary and Treasurer, Don Semmons also gave his reports and these are also included the AGM Minutes.

The Election of Officers followed and all of the Officials were re-elected en-bloc.

After the AGM, we were treated to an excellent two course meal that was enjoyed by all those present. The food was good and the service first class, so thank you to the staff at Tottington Manor for helping to make this a very enjoyable occasion.

On arrival at the Withdean Park and Ride eagerly awaiting our transport to depart for Windsor a call was received from Pam Groves who joined the coach at Hove Town Hall with a small number of members to advise that our coach had developed a fault and an engineer had been called to fix it and to await further instructions. Eventually it was decided we needed to have a replacement coach as the fault could not be fixed. By this time, it was about 10.00 am. Our party of 34 was now ready to depart.

The Blue badge guide, Steven, was advised of our dilemma and he was kept informed every so often of our progress to Windsor. Peter, our regular driver pulled out all the stops to get us to Windsor as safely as he could, and it was pleasing that the traffic was relatively light which meant that we arrived by 11.20 am. After Steven introduced himself, we were given time for a comfort break and then we made our way to the Castle gates to be admitted. This took some time as “airport style” security was in operation, so it was a good half hour before we eventually entered the castle grounds. Steven explained about the use of the castle by the various members of the Royal Family. This was against the background of jets flying above every 30 seconds making their way to/from Heathrow Airport and some of us could not quite catch what he was saying, which was not his fault but a bit of a shame, nevertheless.

We then entered the state rooms having been asked whether anyone wished to see the Doll’s House which was in another entrance, and we all decided not to. When passing through a one-way system and throughout we could observe some of the magnificent paintings and artefacts that had been collected over many years, the dining room which was very impressive with giant chandeliers, the Armour room which included Henry V111’s armour suit. There were various types of swords on display on the stone walls along with several different types of guns displayed. We also saw the very point where the famous fire took place on 20th November 1992 which occurred in Queen Victoria’s private chapel, the cause being a faulty spotlight which ignited a curtain next to the altar. The restoration that we observed was quite unbelievable, it took five years to complete at a cost of £36.5million.

We then left the main building to visit St George’s Chapel which was 200 yards or so away. Many of us entered the chapel to pay our respects to our late Majesty the Queen and it was quite a sombre moment walking slowly passed her tomb alongside her late husband, The Duke of Edinburgh. This ended the first part of our tour and many of us took lunch in the area close to Windsor Station.

After returning to the coach at 14.45 we travelled through part of Windsor Great Park and saw the area known as the Long Walk, apparently two- and three-quarter miles long, which could be seen both on the left- and right-hand sides of the coach as we passed. Steven advised us that the park is 5000 acres in size. After admiring some of the green pastures and vast number of oak trees we eventually arrived at King Charles farm shop and cafe where a few of us bought some produce and went on to the cafe for tea and cake before we departed for home arriving back in Brighton at about 6.15pm. All enjoyed a lovely day despite the inclement weather we experienced during the day!

Here are just a few photographs taken by Don's sister Pat, bearing in mind that photography wasn’t allowed inside the castle and the weather was a bit dodgy!!!…

(I think David in the first photo has just been told about the coach breaking down!!!!)

On a day that was bright and yet quite cool, 42 members and their guests met up at Stanmer Park 'One Kitchen Restaurant' to enjoy breakfast or just a drink before most of the attendees set off on the ramble that had been organised by our former chairman Graham Clark. Other members just spent time browsing the nearby gardens and shops.

On a walk that was just under 4 miles in length, members showed their fitness by negotiating an uphill slope that took us deep into Stanmer Woods and the views from the top allowed us to see all along the South Coast from Shoreham to Rottingdean, not to mention the top of the Amex Stadium (Brighton & Hove Albion Home Ground) in Falmer.

After passing through a cow field, where thankfully the cows were on the far side!!!, we entered the Bluebell Woods and were treated to a carpet of bluebells. Luckily our timing was just right as Graham had 'tested' the walk a week or so ago and the flowers hadn't fully been out.

After the walk we visited the Stanmer House Coffee Shop for a well earned coffee or tea and for some...a piece of cake!!

As usual some photos for you to see, thanks to Dave Stedman who took most of these..........

On a warm and sunny day,15 members of the Spread Eagles Golf Society met at Pyecombe Golf Club for the Spring Meeting.

Following the now 'essential' bacon roll and coffee, players set off in groups of 3 for 18 holes around this picturesque and somewhat hilly downland course. The conditions were just about perfect and the course was in great condition so the afternoon was enjoyed by all those who played. The scoring for the meetings is by stableford points (the less shots you take, the more points you get) and After the round, the organisers, John Jago, who incidentally is Captain of Pyecombe Golf Club this year, and Chris Hudson (with a bit of help from me!) were working out the scores and who was going to win the prizes.

We sat down for an excellent 2 course meal, with wine, following which John & Chris announced the winners of the various prizes that were on offer.

The main award was the R T Box Memorial Trophy, that was presented to winner, Peter Elliott, by Richard Box, son of Ron Box whom the trophy was named after. The other winners are listed below, as are some photographs of the day.

Wakehurst

Thursday 25th May 2023

On a warm and sunny day 15 members of the Club met at Wakehurst, formerly called Wakehurst Place, to look round the magnificent gardens and enjoy a hot lunch in the Stable Kitchen.

It was a shame only 15 members attended, but unfortunately a number of members had to drop out from this event due to a variety of ailments, but all those who attended thought that it was a wonderful day and would probably need to make a further visit as there was too much to see in just one day.

We met at 11am and split into two groups each accompanied by Paul or Martin, our guides from Wakehurst and both were excellent and gave us the history of Wakehurst and also lots of information about how and why and when the various trees and plants had been established, some dating back to 1590. The main gardens were designed and created by Gerald Loder who purchased Wakehurst in 1903 and he sent his staff out across the world to collect seeds and plants to preserve as many species as possible. This continued in various formats until the present day with the now world famous Millennium Seed Bank which houses a mere 2.4 billion seeds from around the world.

The guides answered all our questions, however silly!! and were both professional and friendly.

After the guided tours we all sat down to an excellent lunch served with very generous portions and then were left to do our own thing in the afternoon.

As always, photos speak a thousand words, so here are a few of those taken by Dave and myself:

(You will see a photo of Dave taking a picture from the top of the decorated scaffolding - can you spot him in the adjacent photo??)

Wednesday 21st June 2023

Visit to the Wey & Arun Canal

Lunch at the Onslow Arms, Loxwood

On a warm and sunny day, 42 members and their guests made their way to Loxwood, near Billingshurst and the home of the Wey & Arun Canal Trust and boarded the 11am cruise of the Wiggenholt electric canal boat for a two hour trip along the canal.

Refreshments were available on the tables and we made our way almost silently along the canal through the countryside with just the sounds of running water or our members nattering away catching up on the gossip and putting the world to rights..... We passed through four locks during the journey and Don was seen lending a hand with opening the lock gates and winding up the paddles to fill or empty the locks depending on which way we were travelling!!!

After the boat trip. we walked 50 yards into the Onslow Arms where we had an excellent two course buffet lunch. The pub, which was built in 1575 when the average height of a person was probably about 5 foot.... The beams, which had been thoughtfully covered in soft furnishings, received a number of head butts, mainly from me when trying to take photographs!!

In spite of that, it was a thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing day out in the Sussex countryside.

Talking about photographs, here is a selection from those submitted by Gill Hill, Val Figg, Barry Lamper (Dave Stedmans guest) and Pat Jarvis. Thank you for sending them to me.

Mid Summer Lunch

Thursday 20th July 2023

On a warm and sunny day,58 members and their guests were treated to a wonderful afternoon of entertainment and good food. Once again we went to Tottington Manor where we were served with an excellent two course lunch that members had selected prior to the event.

In between the courses and then after the coffees has been served, we were treated to an hours entertainment from 'The Silhouette Show', our favourite girl trio who gave us songs from their Vintage Party Show and Rhythm Ritz our 1920s style show. The three young ladies, Karen, Jemma and Chiara sang beautifully and with superb timing made the show a joy to watch and on occasion, join in with.

Earlier in the afternoon, our Chairman, Dave Stedman, on behalf of the Committee, present Me and my wife (Don & Rose Semmons) with flowers and a voucher for a cream tea for 2 at the Grand Hotel to celebtate their golden wedding anniversary which was on that day.

As usual, here are some photos showing some of the action during the afternoon, including a rather daring Roy Forgham dancing with Jemma!!!!

Thursday 17th August 2023

Visit to Leeds Castle

On a warm and sunny day, 42 members and their guests boarded the coach for the 75 minute journey to Leeds Castle near Maidstone.

Leeds Castle is a castle 7 miles southeast of Maidstone. It is built on islands in a lake formed by the River Len to the east of the village of Leeds. It is an historic Grade I listed estate. A castle has existed on the site since 857. In the 13th century, it came into the hands of King Edward I, for whom it became a favourite residence; in the 16th century, Henry VIII used it as a dwelling for his first wife, Catherine of Aragon.

The present castle dates mostly from the early 19th century. Its last private owner, Olive, Lady Baillie, left the castle in trust to open it to the public. It has been open since 1976.

In addition to the Castle, there were numerous other attractions including several lakes with walking paths alongside, a maze that proved a little troublesome to some members, many different styles of garden and a display of Birds of Prey.

We all had an excellent two course lunch in the Castle View Restaurant and spent a leisurely afternoon browsing the gardens and finding shady spots to sit. The stewards throughout the venue were all extremely helpful and many members made use of the free minibus to take them to different parts of the site without having to spend too much energy getting about.

As usual here are a selection of the many photographs that were taken during the day and my thanks to Val Figg and Dave Stedman for their contributions:

Standen House & Garden

Wednesday 6th September

On a rather warm and sunny day 19 members of the Club travelled by coach to Standen House & Gardens, a National Trust property near to East Grinstead.

It was a shame only 19 members attended, but unfortunately a number of members had to drop out from this event due to a variety of ailments.

We met at 11am and were greeted by Keith who gave us a talk for 20 minutes or so about the house and the gardens and the history of the original owners, James and Margaret Beale who chose this idyllic location with views across the Sussex countryside. The house was designed by Philip Webb, and is one of the finest examples of Arts and Crafts workmanship, mainly created by William Morris & Co. The house was dressed for a weekend stay in 1925.

After the house tour we were due to have a garden tour, but unfortunately the lady who was to act as our guide was unwell, so we made our own way around the various gardens and other items of interest around the estate,

The warm day took it's toll on our activities and frequent cafe stops were required which ended with a splendid cream tea followed by an ice cream!!!

As usual, a few photos for you to enjoy.

Autumn Golf Meeting

Wednesday 27th September 2023

On a warm and partly cloudy day, just 10 members of the Spread Eagles Golf Society met at Willingdon Golf Club in Eastbourne for the Autumn Meeting.

Following the now 'essential' bacon roll and coffee, players set off for 18 holes around this somewhat hilly downland course. The conditions were just about perfect, if a bit muggy at times, and the afternoon was enjoyed by all those who played. The scoring for the meetings is by stableford points (the less shots you take, the more points you get) and after the round, the organisers, John Jago, and Chris Hudson (with a bit of help from me!) were working out the scores and who was going to win the prizes.

We sat down for an excellent meal, following which John & Chris announced the winners of the various prizes that were on offer.

The main award was the Mike Barrett Trophy, that was presented to winner, Peter Elliott, by Mike Barrett who had kindly agreed to join us after the golf. The other winners are listed below, as are some photographs of the day.

Winner - Peter Elliott with 40 points

Runner Up - Barry Davis with 38 points

Third - David Pitts with 33 points

At the Autumn meeting, the Bob Russell Trophy is also awarded to the player with the highest combined score from the Spring and Autumn meetings. and there was no doubt who the winner was this year with a fabulous total of 83 points, Peter Elliott. Well done to Peter and see below for some photos of the presentation. Second was Barry Davis with 65 points and third was Chris Hudson with 64 points.

As usual here are a few photographs from the day:

A View from the Bridge

Chichester Festival Theatre

Tuesday 17th October 2023

On a bright slightly chilly day, 34 members and their guests boarded the coach to make the short trip across to the Chichester Festival Theatre to see the Arthur Miller play, A View from the Bridge.

We arrived in good time to have a quick drink and snack before the performance started at 2.30pm.

Set on the Brooklyn waterfront, the play centres around the romance between the orphaned Catherine, who has been raised by her uncle, Eddie Carbone. and the newly arrived cousin Rodolfo – an illegal immigrant from Italy. Their romance is encouraged by her aunt Beatrice but viewed with revulsion by her uncle, who harbours an unspoken desire. As tensions rise, their story spins inexorably out of control and ends in tragedy.

After the show we walked the short distance across to the Brassiere for an excellent two course meal with drinks.

Then back on the coach and return to Brighton.

Christmas Lunch

Thursday 7th December 2023

Our final event of the year, as always appears to be the case, was our best supported with 125 members and their guests enjoying another excellent Christmas Party and Lunch.

Following on from last years event when Covid decimated the Deans Place catering staff, they pulled out all the stops this year with a complimentary glass of Bucks Fizz for all the guests on arrival and an excellent three course meal that was much improved from last year. The service was also top rate and everyone commented on how much they enjoyed the afternoon.

The now legendary 'stand up' bingo and enormous raffle added to the afternoon to make it a great success.

Our Chairman, Dave Stedman, presented me (Don) with a Christmas Hamper, as a token of gratitude for organising this event and for the work carried out during the year.

Here are some photo's that should give you a flavour of the event.....

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Cineworld 2023

Wednesday 18th January - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

This was our first cinema visit and it proved to be a little more interesting than had been planned. Our Chairman, Dave Stedman, who is organising these visits, had planned to be at the Cineworld complex in Brighton Marina before the members to set up the coffees and seating arrangements. Unfortunately, this day was one of the coldest days of the year so far and with frozen car doors and the A27 in Lancing being used by Torvill & Dean, the traffic ground to a halt and after almost two hours of getting nowhere in Worthing, Dave reluctantly had to call it a day and return home. However, 29 members who all lived a little nearer to the Marina, did make it to the cinema in time to enjoy a chat and a coffee in Starbucks, before going into Screen 4 for our own personalised showing of 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society', There was just us in the Auditorium which made the experience a bit more cosy!!! The film was excellent and made easy watching, with a few funny and a few emotional moments and was enjoyed by all those who attended,

Wednesday 15th February - A Man Called Otto

Well our second cinema visit nearly proved as interesting as the first visit with the coast road being closed at Shoreham due to an accident and our organiser, Dave Stedman being stuck in Shoreham Airport for about 45 minutes!!! However, all was well and 30 members and their guests attended the Cineworld complex at Brighton Marina to see this newly released film starring Tom Hanks, who played Otto Anderson who had recently retired from a steel company. The story was most compelling and showed how good an actor Tom Hanks is. I won't elaborate further on the story line, in case you are yet to go and see the film, but it is definitely worth seeing and remember to take a few tissues with you to wipe away the tears that welled up in most of us who were there!!! It is certainly an enjoyable experience with comfortable seats and only us in the auditorium which makes such a difference. If you haven't attended one yet, there are two more organised for you...see below.

Thursday 16th March - “THE EMPIRE OF LIGHT”

On a sunny morning in Brighton 22 members and guests arrived on our third out of 4 visits for coffee and cake/biscuits from 10.30am and were treated to the screening of the above film from 11.30am. The film was written and produced by Sam Mendes. The story set in the 1980’s evolved as follows: - Hilary Small is a duty manager at the "Empire Cinema", Margate on the north coast of Kent. Hilary struggles with bipolar disorder, lives alone and is having an affair with her boss Donald Ellis. New employee Stephen, who is Black British and lives with his mother, Delia, a nurse, starts his new job at the cinema. Hilary is taken with Stephen, and the two bond when she shows him the cinema's beautiful but disused upper floor. Hilary becomes jealous when Stephen begins hanging out with Janine, a younger employee.

While watching New Year's Eve fireworks from the cinema roof, Hilary impulsively kisses Stephen. The two of them begin a sexual relationship. Hilary cuts off Ellis and, happy about the new relationship, stops taking her medication. Hilary sees Stephen be harassed by a group of skinheads on the street and later deal with a racist customer and Stephen confides in her about the racism he faces. Hilary and Stephen go to the beach, where Stephen tells her about his first love, Ruby, who works at the same hospital as his mother. When Stephen asks about her past, she goes on an agitated rant about men and angrily destroys sandcastles they had been building. Neil, a co-worker, discovers their relationship and warns Stephen of Hilary's mental health. Ellis informs the workers that the theatre has been chosen for the regional premier of “Chariots of Fire”. At the premiere, a manic Hilary gets on stage and delivers an agitated speech before informing Ellis's wife about their affair. Hilary's mental health deteriorates, and she is institutionalized. Stephen begins training with Norman, the theatre's projectionist. He runs into Ruby at the theatre, and they start dating again. Hilary is released from the hospital and returns to work. Stephen advises her to see a movie at the theatre, something she has never done. During her welcome-back party, a skinhead crowd marches past the theatre. When they see Stephen, they break in and assault him. Hilary accompanies him to the hospital, where she meets Stephen's mother.

As Stephen recuperates, Hilary initially stays away. Norman confides in her that he has a son he has not seen in many years because he abandoned his family and cautions her not to run away. She visits Stephen in the hospital. His mother tells Hilary that she makes Stephen happy. An overjoyed Hillary rushes back to the theatre and has Norman play a movie for her called “Being There”. Stephen returns to the theatre but informs Hilary that, following her advice, he has decided to return to college and will be leaving town. Stephen remembers his times with Hilary at a going-away dinner with Ruby and his mother. The two meet up in a park, where Hillary gives him a book and finally bids him goodbye. For the dancing sequences both Jill and I identified the use of the Denton Lounge which is at the entrance of Worthing Pier. At the end of the film many of us wandered over to Nandos or Weatherspoons for lunch before departing for home. All agreed it was a very enjoyable experience. Dave Stedman Chairman.

On a lovely sunny morning in Brighton, 20 of our members arrived at 10.45 am to enjoy a refreshment at Starbucks within Cineworld prior to the screening of “Chevalier” and we were one of the first to see it as it was only released that day nationwide.

Chevalier is based on the true story of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, a revered French violinist whose career was hampered by racism.

The illegitimate son of an African slave and a French plantation owner, Joseph Bologne rises to improbable heights in French society as a celebrated violinist-composer and fencer, complete with a love affair and falling out with Marie Antoinette.

Joseph Bologne was born in 1745 in the French Antilles to Georges de Bologne Saint-Georges, a plantation owner, and his wife’s African father. Georges recognized Joseph, but Joseph’s race prevented him from inheriting his father’s noble titles. Bologne acquired fencing and violin skills during his teenage years. His talents as a violinist facilitated his entry into French high society. Regardless of Bologne’s craft, some of France’s elite objected to the presence of ‘a mulatto’ in their midst.

Mulatto is an outdated racial classification referring to a person of mixed European and African ancestry. Famous people, including Queen Marie Antoinette, attended Joseph’s concerts. Joseph earned the title Chevalier after becoming a member of the king’s guard. Chevalier had done enough to merit appointment as the director of the Paris Opera. However, a petition fueled by scorn and racism prevented Chevalier’s promotion to the esteemed position.

Chevalier endured a tumultuous stint as part of the Revolutionary Army, culminating in dismissal and imprisonment. When he was 51, Chevalier became an orchestra director again and unsuccessfully tried to rejoin the army. Gangrene caused Joseph’s death two years later, in 1799.

Everyone who attended found the film much to their liking and accompanied by lovely classical music. I am pleased that the choice of film was so well received.

A total of 45 members attended Brighton Cineworld at 10.30 am on a wet morning and were welcomed by the Chairman and directed to the Starbucks café for coffee and cake prior to the screening at 11.30am

All eyes were on France on 6th June 2014, when the world marked the 70th anniversary of D-Day, one of the most pivotal moments of World War II. More than 156,000 Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy in the biggest amphibious invasion the world had ever seen. It was a monumental turning point in the fight against Nazi tyranny, with the future of freedom at stake.

World leaders and dignitaries from across the globe gathered on that iconic shoreline – that US President Barack Obama described as ‘this tiny sliver of sand upon which hung more than the fate of a war, but rather the course of human history.’

At 10.30am, on the day before the big anniversary events, Bernard Jordan walked out of The Pines care home in Furze Hill, Hove. There was nothing too unusual about that, since he had full capacity, meaning he could come and go as he pleased. What was unusual was that he didn’t return, leading the staff concerned to notify the police that evening. Bernie Jordan was a well-known figure in Hove, having been a borough councillor for decades and even serving as the mayor in the mid-90s. Long before that, he’d served as a Royal Navy officer during WWII, seeing action on D-Day. After the war, he married his sweetheart, Irene, who was also living at The Pines at the time of his disappearance. Police mounted a search of the local area, checking hospital patient lists and contacting taxi and bus companies to no avail. Bernie Jordan had simply vanished into thin air.Police officers and care home staff breathed a sigh of relief at 10.30pm that night when a call was made by another war veteran who confirmed he’d met Bernie en route to France.

The real reason Bernie felt compelled to go AWOL was that he’d missed out on being enrolled on an accredited visit to Normandy with the Royal British Legion. Undeterred by this bureaucratic barrier, he decided to make the trip anyway, with the full blessing of his wife who knew all about his plan. Whilst over in France the veterans were treated “like Gods”.

After the escape and on his return, Bernard Jordan had to face was a fanfare of admiration and affection. Reunited with Irene, he enjoyed a cup of tea while journalists thronged outside the gates of the care home and phone calls flooded in. The characters Bernie and Irene were played by Sir Michael Caine and the late Glenda Jackson who were superb in their performances. The film had emotions, heartache and comedy all rolled into one and was enjoyed by all the members and their guests.

Chairman:	David Stedman
Deputy Chairman:	Bridget Westerman
Hon. Secretary:	Cyn Fleetwood
Hon. Treasurer:	Don Semmons
Social Secretary:	Don Semmons
Chief Welfare Officer:	Tony Comber
Committee Member:	Graham Clark
Committee Member:	Jean Clarke
Committee Member:	Robin Frost
Committee Member:	Gill Hill
Committee Member:	Colin Mockford
Committee Member:	Rosemary Singyard
Also elected, but not on the Committee:
Accounts Inspector:	Roger Francis