Page 33 - Summer2014Gazette
P. 33
Feature 31
Dave ‘Tommo’ Thomson piping possibilities. What took place the club was moved on and
‘Happy Birthday’ here that weekend was an been rejuvenated so that it
event unlikely to be repeated could adapt to new ways and
courtesy of ‘Tommo’ on as that generation comes into re-invent itself. If they are the
his bagpipes. During the its own. ‘auld fellas’ now, it was they
course of the day the three But wait… we’ve forgotten who set the forces of change
hosts took time to present something important here. in motion. As to how the
an award to Alan Davis Despite the many allusions club has changed, these men
for completing 50 years of to anno domini, and a helped to break down barriers
membership, something rising young generation, in order for those forces
which of course meant a lot it is easy to forget that the of change to be activated.
to him. protagonists were themselves Yes, there was over those
young, active athletes, two days a predominance
Over £2,000 was raised in serious competitors, and of age over youth and of
donations for one of the later on leaders of the club. a culture representing
memorial charities, dedicated They were also dynamic, more certainty, in contrast
to Sydney Wooderson spirited and maybe restless to one of work pressure,
and much was talked of for change in an institution conspicuous consumerism
regarding fond memories of steeped in archaic tradition. and corporate loyalty. If so,
past heros and old friends, So one gets the impression, this is a constant reminder of
that one could easily forget talking to a veteran athlete the warmth and generosity of
the looming presence of a who described the eye- spirit that a club such as ours
new generation of younger opening experience of can and still should foster. In
members for whom the club’s attending a club committee extending heartfelt birthday
future has very different meeting in the early 1960s greetings I like many others
as being like a High Court hope we can still find time
or Star Chamber hearing for moments such as this.
where as a younger member Here’s to the ‘auld fellas’
you were so overawed and and evergreens. May they be
dare not speak out of turn. forever young!
Then the club seemed
to some outsiders like a Wilf Orton
closed, masonic institution
which may not have been Chris Haines with VP Julian
welcoming to ‘the infidels’, Golding, Commonwealth 200m
an image that the club has Champion 1998
tried hard to ameliorate.
However it was men such
as these three, young then
and influential in later years
who strove to break down
this perceived exclusivity,
and thanks to Chris, Ian and
Gary and others like them,
