2006 LGC Annual Dinner

 

Chairman’s address ?

(As in previous years, It saves the webmaster a lot of time if you read this as if you had personally made the speech, gets round the Chairman said problem)

 

Ladies, gentlemen, members & honoured guests.

 

Well it's just great to look around the room & see so many faces suffused with bonhomie & a considerable amount of good spirit. Thank you all for coming along, to support this occasion.

You've excelled yourself again Andy (Tebay)- It’s a great turn-out, (55 people is it?) so well done mate.

 

We have a few guests this evening who are - shall we say Lakes Gliding Club Dinner virgins. Some have come from far a field …….some dare I say from South of Preston!! They have courageously ventured into the 'bad-lands' of the Barrow Peninsula in search of enlightenment.

 

It would take too long to mention everyone but I would like to mention:-

Mike Jordy…. Mike is BGA Vice-Chairman & privy to the complex machinations of the BGA hierarchy. He is a prolific event organiser, and no mean 'joy stick jockey' in his own right (a set of diamonds, 750k diploma & twice winner of the British Club Class Championships) He is to the gliding movement what Pete Redshaw is to gin & tonic. Welcome Mike. Thanks also to Peter & Jeanette Burgoyne for volunteering to come along as Mikes minders & make sure he gets back safe & sound! And then there's Mike Fox. - good to have you with us Foxy. Mike is the BGA Assistant National Coach, and has been tasked by the BGA to venture forth to scour the country in search of gliding talent. I'm happy to say he's found some…..in the winsome form of our very own Kate Frost.

 

In fact word on the street is that the two Mikes are intent on dragging Kate back to their lair at Husbands Bosworth…. but rest assured ladies & gentlemen … we shall put up a fight.

 

Kate's parents Neil & Anne were so concerned as to their daughter's welfare, they decided to come along tonight to keep an eye her. Welcome to you both.

 

Now all this speechifying is never that easy but, hey - I only get to see a lot of you once a year, so I might as well enjoy it while I'm here. I usually try and focus on why I am proud to be part of the Lakes Gliding Club. And normally this turns to my recalling all the many & various challenges we have had to face during the previous year….. and how we as a club have faced up to and overcome those challenges. But I'm happy to report that (until fairly recently at least) the last 12 months have offered a very welcome period of stability & recovery.

 

Even the IS28 is back in the air after a convalescence of nearly 3 years! - and even then it tried to put up some spirited last minute resistance when it's undercarriage collapsed. But Roy Jones was having none of this petulant behaviour, & threatened it with a bag of spanners……. I think he literally frightened it back into the air! Inevitably, Northy has had us all spinning round in ever decreasing circles…. And the flying has been pretty challenging as well.

 

We have several new members, which has given the instructors plenty of opportunity to blow the dust off the patter notes and 'strut their stuff' (so to speak). This is what it's all about. At the end of the day we are no different to many other small gliding clubs around the country that need to continually focus on building new membership. …. & this challenge continues. But, going back and picking up the theme of ……..'what makes me proud to be part of this rabble'……… I got to thinking about an event this year, involving two LGC members in particular.

 

Back in August two modest, unassuming, blokes (!) set forth to fly the battle flag for the Lakes, at the Two Seat Competition at Pocklington …………. they hoped to do well…….. and would you believe it, they ended up with a clean sweep of Open Class, Best Wood & Capstan Cup trophies. Just to give you some idea, of this achievement they won the wood class with a score of 5033 pts, which probably won't register to most of you until you compare the score with the 2nd placed team [flying a K13] who had a mere 2836 pts.

An astonishing result I'm sure you will agree…. but who are these Jedi Knights who ventured into foreign fields to do battle on our behalf? Well most of you will have twigged by now - the first officer of the team…..the Luke Skywalker of the duo….is none other than our CFI ….Dave North. (you never see Luke Skywalker bothered by 60mph speed limits do you?)

The 'Captain' of TEAM CAPSTAN however hardly needs any introduction. If Northy is Luke Skywalker, then this 'gentleman' fits perfectly into the role of the sage and experienced 'Obi Wan Kanobe' of the team - I am of course referring to the one and only Pete Redshaw. I can just picture him in a monks habit?? Well, perhaps not! I never would have guessed that their 'Millennium Falcon' …..the old 'Super Capstan' was the very same aircraft I soloed in some 15years ago. It just proves though what can be achieved with a bit of determination, a bit of guile & cunning, a pair of razor sharp tactical minds, and a shed load of jam strangling good fortune. Seriously though ….it really was a fantastic performance, and I think these two reprobates deserve a bit of recognition,……….. so I would like to ask you all to join me & raise your glasses in a toast to Peter, Dave and the Capstan Team. - well done guys.

 

In conclusion, I'd like to finish off with a few 'ta very muches'.

Thanks of course to the Committee for keeping the ship afloat.

Thank you Ladies & Gentlemen for your forbearance - & I sincerely hope that you've had (and continue to have) an enjoyable evening.

Many thanks yet again to Andy Tebay, our Social Sec for organising this occasion.

And finally thanks to the hotel & staff for laying on such a pleasant evening.

I will now take this opportunity to hand you over to ‘Luke Skywalker’ to do his CFI bit.

Cheers!

 

The CFI, the Rt Hon David Luke Skywalker North now orchestrated the annual award of trophies. He was supported by the stunning Chairman's wife, Jean of Golfing and mobile phones fame wearing a mauve Vissachi gown with her trade mark Ostrich feathers, who presented the prizes. It should be mentioned that Dave's speech was probably prepared by Angela on this occasion as he did better than usual.

  • The Duddon Trophy for outstanding services to the club went to Roy Jones and Shaun Ryan for their continued efforts to fix the IS28 undercarriage.

  • The Dodd Trophy for most outstanding progress during the year went to Kate Frost who achieved her Bronze and Cross Country Diploma.

  • The Lonsdale Trophy for the best cross country from Walney went to John Martindale again for a 186km flight from Walney in his ASW28. Silverdale, St John's (where is that?) and back to Walney.

  • The Leighton Hall Trophy for the member making the most outstanding flight of the year from anywhere in the world. This went to Neil Moffat for a 383km flight in April during an expedition from Carlisle. This gave him his Gold Distance.

  • The Alsford Trophy for the best gain of height went to Neil Moffat for a gain of 10860 ft.

  • The Sir Leonard Redshaw Trophy for the best flight by a non Silver pilot was awarded to Shaun Ryan. Shaun (Mr Fixit himself) took time out to go flying in his K6 and had his best flight yet over the Lakes and round Coniston.

  • The Club Ladder for the pilot with the most points claimed went to Neil Moffat with an unbelievable 20232 points. A very well deserved win leaving all other contenders in his wake. Thankfully the handicap will cut in next year, the sooner he gets all 3 Diamonds the better.

  • The Elegant Windows Trophy for the best flight in a two seater went jointly to Andy Tebay and Peter Redshaw for a 124km flight in the Capstan in in the two seater competition at Pocklington. About 1/2 the field failed to get away, but the old Capstan made it and won the day.

  • The Optimum Financial Services Trophy for best gain of height in a two-seat glider. This was won by Rod Murfitt and Alan Sayers in the K21 for a gain of 11350 ft in March.

  • The Wooden Spoon for the most meritorious clanger. This was nearly a disaster. For some inexplicable reason no one had been seen making any cock-ups or admitted to them. The CFI was sweating, who could he possibly give it to, could he give it to himself for smoking in the Bus, could he give it to John Martindale for losing his beard, could he give it to Shaun as Shaun probably wouldn't remember what happened, the choices were limited. Step up Messrs Burdett and Seddon to kindly save the day in the IS28 at the last moment. You guessed it, wheel up landing to "test the new undercarriage suspension in the up position".

The prize giving was followed by two cabaret acts from the now infamous Triple F's. (Friendly Family Frost).

Neil Frost, playing K8's old man, produced a guitar which he had recently found on an airfield and lead us through a rendition of "How much is that K6 in the window" or something like that. It had as many excuses built into the verses as he could muster as to why he should not buy K8 a K6. Reference in the middle of the singing to a rich wife and mother seemed to contradict his logic as we all assumed he was married to her. Encouraged by the self perception of his success he apparently went from strength to strength in the bar later on. An opinion poll after the performance concluded that he was tight fisted and should buy K8 a Discuss.

PhD Frost (the Lady in red who goes by the name of K8) then proceeded to very discreetly let everyone know that she had been acting as an unpaid carer to one of the older Capstan pilots (whose name is apparently Obi Wan Kanobe) at the two seater competition. Fed up with the rate of pay, unsociable hours and amount of alcohol involved she then introduced a transvestite to take over this rather arduous role. The transvestite had a passing resemblance to the Chairman, though fortunately was much prettier and had lots of blonde hair. She/he came fully equipped with rubber gloves, rubber apron, disposable potties for both ends, walking sticks and wandering hands. K8's classy performance was nearly ruined in that the Capstan pilot involved thought the whole affair was an opportunity to lower the tone of the evening. No wonder he allegedly needs a carer.
 

 

 

Asked what he thought of the Dinner this year, RIP had to think about it!!!!!!!!!!

 

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