JULY 2022
41Club
The Association of Ex-Round Tablers’ Clubs of Great Britain and Ireland
Newsletter
A proud member of the Round Table Family
The 4 Round Table Family Clubs side-by-side meet with HRH The Princess Royal at Tangent's Record Breaking Tea
Have you purchased your special edition Ukraine Appeal 41 Club pin yet? Available now from your National Councillor. Cost is £5.00 per pin - all profits to the 41 Club Ukraine Convoy Appeal 1. Also available from Paul Sankey at National Sales, p&p will be added. 3.Contact Andy Ventress international@41club.org for larger orders. Pins will then be despatched when payment has been received.
Welcome to the July Newsletter Sales of the special edition pin to show solidarity with the Ukraine and to raise charitable funds for the Round Table Family's Ukraine Appeal are going well - if you haven't gotten your pin yet contact your National Councillor to buy one. The Appeal is still running and funds are still needed - but don't forget to support the National President's Charity, Round Table Childrens' Wish too, like the Alpha Knights 41 Club did, and Leigh-on-Sea did.
IN THIS NEWSLETTER p 4-5 The Presidents Report p6
Alpha Knights & RTCW at Diss Carnival
As for how the 41 Club Ukraine Appeal is doing, for the latest news visit the Facebook page run by Round Table and Old Tablers Germany called "Hilfe, die ankommt" which is German for "Help that arrives!"
p7
The Vice-President
p8
Report on the 41 Walking Weekend
p10
Leigh-on-Sea - Breaking News
p11
National Calendar
In LOTS at our July Meeting we had a Ukrainian Refugee as our guest speaker. You should be able to find one near you but if you can't contact Martin Manuel region25@41Club.org and he might be able to put you in touch with Inna Smyrnova, the young speaker we had.
p14-15 The Club Cruise
Followed by upcoming events and a selection of members benefits......
Enjoy the good weather. Keep safe. Yours in Continued Friendship and Continued Tabling,
Don Don Mullane, National Communications and IT Officer London Old Tablers' Society The Association of Ex-Round Tablers’ Clubs of Great Britain and Ireland A member of the Round Table Family of Clubs www.41club.org ADMINISTRATION 41 Club, Marchesi House 4 Embassy Drive Edgbaston Birmingham B15 1TP Although 41 Club makes every effort to ensure accuracy, we can accept no responsibility for errors or omissions, or guarantee an advertising insertion, date, position or special promotion. Please send all correspondence and items for publication to comms@41club.org
NATIONAL PRESIDENT JIM CONWAY Since the last magazine, I have been out and about. With a couple of Board Meetings under the belt as well as that first Council Meeting, I am pleased to report that Committee Meetings are being held and the positivity coming out of them indicates that the future is looking bright. My thanks go to John Kilshaw, who did the alternative Windemere swim for my National Charity Round Table Children’s Wish, Mark Grey, who walked the Peddars Way and Des Fulcher who ran a stand at the Diss Carnival with Leigh Collins from the charity.
Side by side reached a new high when the four Round Table Presidents were presented to Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal. She was impressed by our impending attempt to set the Guinness World Record for making the most cups of tea by a 12 person team in an hour for Heather Parry’s Tangent National President’s Charity, Re-Engage. Heather put an enormous amount of work into making the event happen at the Grand Yorkshire Showground and rather frustratingly, the two adjudicators differed in their final calculations. One counted 1860, which would have beaten the previous record of 1848, but the other counted 1776 and we had to go with the lower of the two scores. It was a heart breaking way to end the day, but on a positive note, we did set the British Record, so all was not in vain.
The next challenge is 11th to 13th October in Scotland, where we will set the World Record for visiting all Scottish Football Club stadiums in the quickest possible time. Starting in Ross County and ending in Annan Athletic, we will once again have the four Presidents trailing a blaze across Scotland. If anybody lives near to Ross County or Annan Athletic and want to host us for the night before and after the non-stop challenge, please get in touch. If anybody wants to drive us for a leg or two of the journey, again, get in touch. If any of the Round Table Family support any of the teams, please meet us at the grounds and bring media for an awareness and membership drive, if you want to donate to RTCW, bring presentation cheques. Please come out and support, because it would be just good to be greeted at the stadiums, the cheerleading on the way will lift our spirits. It goes without saying that the James Bond President’s Ball is fast selling out, with over 80% of tickets already sold. Everyone knows that the highly talented Vicki Carter-Bland knows how to put on a party, so make it your priority to get that place before it is too late. And don’t forget the President’s Joke Book. It has been selling well and surprisingly, nobody has asked for their money back, which is just as well. All profits go to the Presidential Charity RTCW and when you hit certain financial milestones, I have to go on a mission that will take me way out of my comfort zone.Go to www.jimconway.co.uk for full details. Already, I have completed the first mission. Finally, I am delighted to inform you all that we have added to 41 Club Gin and in addition our range now includes Pink Gin, Rum, Spiced Rum and Vodka all at 41% Proof as it should be.So visit the 41 Club Distillery at https://41clubdistillery.co.uk/ This will make an ideal Christmas Present. Initial delivery issues have all been ironed out and having tasted them all, the National Councillors approve! Yours in Continued Friendship and Continued Tabling,
Jim
Promoting Round Table at Diss Carnival By Des Fulcher, Alpha Knights 41 Club
An opportunity to be part of Diss Carnival was given to me as I began preparations to provide a firework display at their Queen's Platinum Jubilee 'Glow in the Park', by one of the key local people who is also interested in discovering what 41 Club has to offer. I subsequently discovered that Diss Round Table had recently re-formed, therefore began liaising with their Chairman Marc Drury to hopefully realise a mutually beneficial outcome for all parts of the Round Table Family organisation. The organisers of Diss Carnival had an urgent need for marshalling help, so Diss Round Table managed to muster some help from current and prospective members (along with my 14yr old son!), our key role involved helping to manage the Carnival procession which had a great family atmosphere and thousands lining the streets to watch! The extra opportunity we were given was to have a Round Table Family organisation stand on Diss Mere Park where the Carnival procession ended and lots more entertainment was on offer. This presented me with another dilemma trying to locate a stand and something to feature on it, then a call to Jim Conway started the ball rolling with his nominated charity Round Table Children's Wish - which turned out even better with their Fundraising Officer Leigh Collins being joined by her husband Alan Collins, who is RTBI National Community Service Officer. Leigh organised family friendly prize games and pocket money items which drew a lot of attention. On the day we were also joined by recently appointed RTCW Charity Manager Mike Turner, who is currently striving to re-engage with Round Table clubs throughout the RTBI. Prospective members of Diss Round Table are encouraged to reach out to Marc Drury via his email address in the first instance: marc_drury@hotmail.com
Steve James, National Vice President July has been a busy month so far with the 41 Club Walking Weekend, International 2023, National Board and Council meetings, the Tangent Guinness World Record Attempt, meeting up with the new Area 4 Cambria Round Table Exec and hosting my Presidential Liaison Committee BBQ. With 10 days still left of the month I have 2 other engagements as VP, meeting representatives from Fred Olsen cruises in Liverpool and attending the Taunton and Wellington 4 Club BBQ. Myself and Karen are very keen walkers and having organised the inaugural walking weekend it was great to head “up north” to Shipley without any worry for this year’s event organised by Wynn Parry, our National Council Liaison Officer. Approximately 20 serious walkers arrived a day early to walk 10 miles on the Friday but when we arrived at our destination the “heaven’s opened” and we sat in our cars pondering whether to return to our hotel. Thankfully the rain eased off and we had a lovely walk through the Dales. On Saturday, our morning walk took us along the canal towpath into Saltaire where we were able to visit the former mill and view the David Hockney exhibition. That afternoon the “14 milers” departed Saltaire and trekked across the moors with its lovely views and after deviating slightly off course we arrived back to a wonderful cream tea at the hotel. On Sunday the longer distance walkers walked to Esholt to meet up with the “4 milers” and after lunch Karen, myself, Andy Ventress and Julia and Gerry Wilson decided to walk a further 6 miles back to Baildon. The event was excellently organised and the staff at the hotel were fantastic. The event is open to everyone irrespective of whether you wish to walk or just take part in the fellowship that ensues with next year’s event being organised by Andy Ventress using the 41 Club supported Millennium way walks. On 12 July I headed up to Yorkshire again to the great Yorkshire show as part of the 41 Club team consisting of Jim Conway, Peter McBride and myself for the Roundtable Family Guinness world record attempt of making as many teas as possible in an hour. We were joined by members of Roundtable, Ladies Circle and Tangent who organised the challenge with each team (3 in total) comprising of 4 members from each association. After a visit from Her Royal Highness Princess Anne the challenge commenced but sadly, we narrowly missed our target by 72 cups. The final social occasion was hosting my PLC in Wales who are working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that I have a fantastic year as President and I am indebted for their support and hard work. On the business side of the Association, we had excellent Board and National Council meetings with significant time being set aside to discuss our membership and engagement strategy, CAS, finances and agreeing the future of our Youth Ambassador Program. Our strategy when finalised will be presented at our next AGM. Our National Councillors are the “jam in the sandwich” between the Board and our members, and work tirelessly on your behalf in representing your views. If you ever have any queries on National matters, please do not hesitate to contact your councillor by telephone or invite them to attend a club meeting, they’ll be happy to attend and answer any queries or update you on National matters. In relation to the 41 INTERNATIONAL World Meeting in Stratford-upon-Avon next year the programme has been finalised and it is all “systems go” as bookings start coming in. If you ever wondered what happens at the 41 INTERNATIONAL AGM and conference why not book yourself in because it could be a long time before GB&I host it again. You can book in at: https://international23.41clubevents.co.uk/ At a local level I was invited to meet the new Round Table Area Exec with our discussions concentrating on how we can work more closely together to assist “grow” the local Round Table membership and re-charter clubs in the Area. As a former Area Chair it was pleasing to see the enthusiasm of the new exec wanting to put Area 4 back on the “map”. Yours in Continued Friendship and Continued Tabling, Steve James, National Vice President
Steve
National Walking Weekend - 1st to 3rd July - Shipley
This is an edited version of an article from Northampton Nene 41 Club's Fatter Club Newsletter So we headed to Yorkshire. which for some reason the locals insist on calling God’s own County. Whilst it has its attractions I was yet to be convinced. The weekend had been organised by Wyn Parry who despite his Celtic tagline is the National Councillor for Yorkshire. I am sure his wife Heather may have had something to do with it too. Like our own walking weekend all the Round Table Family were welcome to enjoy the event. We were greeted cordially at the Oakwood Hall Hotel where the reception area was awash with 41 Club and Tangent logos on shirts of many colours. Amongst those present and in the general area of the bar were a few familiar faces and also our National President Jim Conway who introduced himself and chatted convivially for a few moments before it was time to change ready for dinner. The Winters had joined everyone by dinner time so the Nene contingent was now complete. The diners were seated at round tables of 6 or 8 and we were later to find that over the weekend this was rotated throughout the meals so that there was a new group to chat to each evening. Not rocket science but an indication of the careful thought that had gone into the weekend A good buffet breakfast provided the calories necessary for Saturday’s walk. There was a choice of distances and those going furthest set off first. The weather was kind and ideal for a brisk stroll. We began with a short uphill stretch but this soon flattened and our walk was either downhill or flat. The flat bits were generally alongside the Leeds to Liverpool Canal although the flight of “five rise” locks tells you that it is not perfectly flat. The Saturday Morning walk was due to conclude at Saltaire where the 4 mile walkers would meet the 8 milers, Ordinarily this would be a very nice place to explore. However on the day of our arrival, there was a very popular Dragon Boat event taking place which rather overcrowded the area around the canal. It was however very lively and colourful place to be for those that chose to absorb the atmosphere. A small bonus was the entrepreneurial boat owner who was selling old fashioned sweets to passers by - some found that very hard to resist although only David was photographed in midpurchase. The Nene gang did locate a nice cafe on the high street for
41 Club Walking Weekend - Report by Northampton Nene 41 Club continued... lunch and were able to drop David back to the canal so that he could connect with the serious walkers and complete the further 2.5 mile “Yomp” over Baildon Moor. These hardy souls were later to join the lightweights back at the hotel for the delicious cream scones that were waiting for us all. By this time the sun was out and we enjoyed chatting whist trying to elegantly eat the crumbly scones covered in dollops of cream and sticky red jam - quite a challenge to escape with clean clothes. Another very good dinner followed with a new group of diners and for some, a very late night at the bar was reported to have occurred. Tales of wives in curlers saying stuff like “don’t you realise what time it is” to errant menfolk still at the bar into the wee small hours passed around at Sunday breakfast. Who knows if that was true? Our Sunday walk was again on two levels harder and not so hard. The interesting feature was the point where the two groups met. This was the pub at Esholt used as the original Woolpack in the TV series Emmerdale. Sadly on the day of our visit the pub was closed apparently awaiting the arrival of a new landlord. The only problem was no one had told the several car-loads of expectant punters that turned up whilst we waited for our rendezvous. Some very long faces and Yorkshire mutterings followed. However just down the road was the village hall where the two groups of walkers were able to have a cuppa whilst supporting local charities. The Sun- day walk then continued in the pleasant weather and amongst the company that had now become friends. Readers may have spotted that eating and drinking featured prominently in this report. I make no apology for that. The weekend is as much about Fellowship as the Walking and it caters for all abilities. The eating and drinking occasions provide a great opportunity to get to know members of our family of clubs from other places. Often they turn out to be people like us and very easy to chat to with experiences in common. Who would have thought it! I cannot close without a big thank you to Wyn Parry for organising a really great weekend which carries on the good work that Steve James put in last year to establish the event. The base hotel proved to be an extremely obliging and suitable venue. So nice to be thanked by them for our custom and to receive exceptional service throughout the weekend. Maybe those that talk of God’s own County are on to something!
For the latest update on the Ukraine Appeal look on Facebook and search for Hilfe die Ankommt (Help that Arrives)
Leigh-on-Sea 41 Club reports stunning news in their Splash Newsletter! Add a little bit of body text Following a successful Garden Party at Chairman Marcus’s house on Saturday.... All was going happily and smoothly as Marcus presented Jim Conway, 41 Club National President, with the £180 donated by the Leigh on Sea 41C members for his President's Charity Round Table Children’s Wish Charity.
But then, according to as yet unconfirmed reports, Jim insisted that he had enjoyed the fellowship of Leigh -on-Sea members so much, he demand -ed that he would immediately take over Chairmanship of Leigh-on-Sea 41Club ! He then installed Marcus as National President for the remainder of the year in his place ext
Calendar of National Events for 2022 - 23 Subject to there being no Covid restrictions in force over 2022, we have a varied National programme events for our members to attend and enjoy the best fellowship there can be. The events are not run by the National team but local club members who spend an inordinate amount of time putting on a first-class event for you, our members, I am truly indebted to them. The full programme of events is as follows and if anyone is interested in finding out more about the event or how to book please do not hesitate to contact me at fellowship@41club.org
July 29th to 31st National Car Rally, Market Harborough
September 5th to 16th 41 Club Cruise to Iceland 23rd to 26th National Camping & Caravan Rally, Ringwood
October 1st 2nd to 3rd 21st 28th
National President's Ball, Leicester National Golf Finals, Staverton Park, Northamptonshire White Rose Dinner, hosted by Shipley 41 Club Oxford College Dinner
November 18th
Dorset Knobs
March/April 2023 30th March - 2nd April National Conference and AGM, Jersey
Yours in Continued Friendship and Continued Tabling,
Kelly Kelly Clarke, National Fellowship Officer
Dorchester 41 Club Hosts The 48th Anniversary Dinner of Dorset Knobs Dad’s Army Theme Dorchester 41 Club is hosting the 48th Anniversary Dinner of Dorset Knobs - the annual dinner of the 41 Clubs across Dorset after a three year break. The event is taking place on Friday 18th November 2022 in the town’s Army Reserve Centre with the opportunity of a free private tour of the nearby Military Museum. To emphasise the fun and fellowship of the event the hosts are introducing a Dad’s Army theme to the evening. The ticket cost is £44 to include a four course meal, wine and port and souvenir programme. For enquiries and tickets please contact Neal Butterworth at butterworth69@live.com · Location – Army Reserve Centre, Poundbury Road, Dorchester DT1 1TA · Date – Friday 18th November 2022 with drinks reception from 6.00pm, dinner at 7.30pm · Free private tour of The Keep Military Museum from 4.30pm to 6.30pm · Dress - Black Tie and medals of course · Dinner – Pate, Roast Dorset Pork, Treacle Tart, Dorset Knob biscuits and Dorset Blue Vinny cheese, tea or coffee (vegetarian option available – order at time of ticket purchase) · Wine and port on the table · Special Guest 41 Club National President, Jim Conway · Speaker - National Town Crier Champion and Local Historian Alistair Chisholm · Charity Raffle · Tickets priced at £44 available from Neal Butterworth at butterworth69@live.com · Payment details - Dorchester 41 Club - Sort Code 401921 - Account 01403613 (please add purchasers name as a reference)
41 Club National Debating Competition Check your email in-box for a message from Kelly asking if your club would like to take part!
41 Club & Tangent 2023 Conference & AGMs Jersey See conference/41clubevents.co.uk
41 Club & Tangent Club Cruise 2022 When the travel restrictions start easing and cruising comes “back to the fore” 41 Club and Tangent have put together an amazing club cruise circumnavigating Iceland with a stop to the Faroes on our homeward journey. The cruise departs on 5th September from Liverpool for 11 nights on the recently acquired Borealis. Borealis is spacious, stylish and comfortable and thanks to her ability to cruise at higher speeds than other ships means that she can include more stops, scenic discoveries and highlights into each itinerary. The cruise includes an overnight stop in Reykjavik as well as visiting Akuyeyri and Seydisfjordur in Iceland and on our homeward journey will call in to Klaksvik and Torshavn in the Faroe Islands where we have made contact with a local 41 Club member who has offered to give us a guided tour. As well as receiving the members discount on the cruise we have also arranged a 41 Club and Tangent members drinks reception. The cruise will be an unforgettable experience combined with the true 41 and Tangent fellowship that prevails when our members get together. If you are interested in joining us on our cruise please see the flyer on the next page on how to secure your place. Following that are details of Fred Olsen's Black Friday Sale which might interest you too!
Bookings Now Open at https://golf.41clubevents.co.uk
International HYM Odense 8 -11 September 2022- 41 International HYM Odense, Denmark 2 Pretours to choose from both starting on 5th September, one from Copenhagen and one from Billund More details available at www.hym2022.dk Registration available now!
International Dates Update Below are all the International dates and information on each event that I know at this time. All this information will be posted on our website www.41club.org in the events calendar & updated when necessary. There may be more information available on the International Website www.41international.net
26 - 28 August Zambia AGM 2 - 4 September South Africa AGM, Cape Town, www41ers.co.za 17 - 19 September India AGM, Cruise 23 - 25 Septmeber Romania AGM, Craiova 7 - 9 October Cyprus AGM, Paphos 7 - 9 October Belgium AGM, Tienen 21 - 23 October Switzerland AGM, Sarnen, www.club41suisse.ch/agm 3 - 6 November 41 Club 2022 European Capitals Meeting, Valletta, Malta
We are selling a special edition pin with all the profits going to our Ukraine Appeal. Cost £5.00 There are 3 ways to get your pin. 1. Buy a pin from your National Councillor. 2. As a club buy 10 pins from Paul Sankey at National Sales, p&p will be added. 3. For larger orders please contact Andy Ventress by emailing international@41club.org to make the necessary arrangements. Pins will then be despatched when payment has been received.
The National President's Charity for 2022-2023 Want to join me in making a difference? I'm raising money to benefit Round Table Children's Wish Limited, and any donation will help make an impact. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me. More information about Round Table Children's Wish Limited: It is a very small charity that grants handcrafted wishes to children who are suffering from life threatening illnesses across the UK. The children we support are between the ages of 4 and 17, and are suffering from illnesses such as Brain Tumors, Leukemia, Cystic Fibrosis, Muscular Dystrophy, organ failure and other degenerative illnesses.
You can donate on-line AND with the benefit of tax relief at https://www.gofundme.com/f/41-clubnational-presidents-charity-20223
You can help by buying a copy of Jim's Joke Book on Amazon using the link below, available in Hardcover at £19.99 Paperback at £9.99 and Kindle at £7.99 https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Presidents-JokeBook-Jim-Conway/dp/B09RM5KP9G/
Club
41
continued friendship
IT'S OKAY TO CALL FOR HELP Feeling down? Fed up? Just want to chat? Phone a 41 Club Buddy today We are here to listen Seven days a week 10am – 10pm .
Your call will be anonymous - we are here for any 41 Club member who wants to chat about anything that is worrying them.You may be feeling lonely or isolated; you may have lost touch with your 41 Club. Anything. We are friendly fellow 41 Club members and are here for you.
You are not alone - you are part of 41 Club
BUDDIES 03301 07 07 40
email Kelly at fellowship@41club.org for the code
If you are likely to need airport parking or lounge access or a host of other services this Summer, don't forget to ask Kelly (fellowship@41club.org for your Holiday Extras Discount Code.
You can help by buying a copy of Jim's Joke Book on Amazon using the link below, available in Hardcover at £19.99 Paperback at £9.99 and Kindle at £7.99 https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Presidents-Joke-Book-Jim-Conway/dp/B09RM5KP9G/
I have to state up Front, that I haven’t written any of the jokes in this book. I don’t know who has, so giving credit to the creators is something I can't do, albeit, I am grateful for their contribution. I am also not looking to make any money from the sale proceeds of the book, because all profits are going to Round Table Children’s Wish (RTCW), my favourite charity. RTCW creates hand crafted wishes to children who have life threatening illnesses. I have run marathons, climbed Kilimanjaro and raised a few thousand pounds along the way. I have even been a Trustee of the Charity. Now I am in 41 Club, and for the 2022 to 2023 year I am your National President, so it goes without saying that I have nominated RTCW to be my Presidential charity. So, why the joke book? I started putting jokes on Facebook because I thought that by putting up a joke every morning, it would put a smile on people's faces and put them in the right frame of mind for their day. I met my amazing wife, Vicky because of a joke I posted. ‘If there's one thing I've learned about women over the years, it's impossible for them to say, "I'm not overreacting...” without screaming their heads off! It was a lovely Summer’s day, she was halfway through a bottle of Pinot Grigio and she called me out. The ensuing banter led to a date and the rest as they say, is history. When the Covid pandemic hit, I upped the jokes to three a day with the message, “On a serious note, please don't read my joke’s and think for one moment I am being glib or making light of the situation. It's my coping mechanism.” So, if you laugh, groan or be offended, then brilliant, I have prompted something within you that shows that you are alive. Enjoy the book, but please do not lend it to anyone, make them buy their own copy as the more books that are sold, the more the charity benefits.
Cardiff Conference Photos are on www.jillsphotography.co.uk
and can be downloaded for a suitable donation Jill Harris is currently raising funds for refugee camps just inside the Romanian border where members of the Round Table family are helping refugees from Ukraine . The photos she took of the recent 41/Tangent Cardiff Conference are on her website gallery www.jillsphotography.co.uk and can be downloaded from there. She asks if you can give a small donation to contact her on jill. harris22@outlook.com and she can give you her charity bank account or PayPal details.
