My interest and hobby has always been  “Sailing”  and I was very lucky to be able to pass my “RYA Yacht Master certificate” with Barclays Bank Sailing Club.   The BBSC then owned (through Barclays Bank) 5 x 32 foot 6 berth Westerly sailing cruises,  

Myself and Rae, were once able to take, 12 x “3rd Shoreham Venture Sea Scouts” (17 & 18 year olds) for a weekend sailing in the Solent,  (our Lisa and Richard being two of them)   I skippered one yacht, and Ted Blanden Senior skippered the other yacht,  what a  ‘fantastic and fabulous’  weekend  of memories that was!!

Monty Waight, Geoff Nichols, Alec Newbury, Jimmy Swanson and Tony Hamer  we’re some of those who started the BBSC through the  “Brighton District”  and we probably had about 30 or 40 people from the “Brighton District” regularly sailing with us each year either..... part week in the Solent in the spring, or “The Big Stuff” cross Channel for a week in the Autumn.

On one occasion I recall that I being an ordinary “Grade 5 security clerk” was skipper of Spread Eagle” a  “32 foot Westerly Fulmar”  and two of the crew just happened to be Dennis Mounstephen,  Local Director, and Brian Castleton the senior manager in the Brighton District,  Brian left Dennis in no doubt at all  (in a joking manner)  that I was skipper and if I told Dennis to  “swab the decks”  then that is what he would have to do!!!

Ted Blanden senior, Me, Geoff Nichols, Geoff Ogilvey, and Jeff Gibbs,

 

David & Rae

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