 |
|
The Rolleston Country Gala took place on Bank Holiday Monday 31st August and again rain greeted the organisers during the morning period. It did stop raining by mid-day but showers were prevalent during the afternoon and evening. However, the show went on with numerous exhibits of produce, flowers and displays in the marquee on the Croft. There were also many exhibits in the main hall including photography, craft, drawings and paintings, children’s sections and the famous limerick competition.
The Committee would like to acknowledge the contribution of Bob Fraser, our local Councillor, for arranging the payment of a grant from Staffordshire C.C. Bob has shown a keen interest in the Gala and has personally supported the event over the past number of years.
A new award this year was the Kate Goldsmith Memorial Trophy presented to the overall winner of the photography section. This was won by Jeremy English despite keen competition from our President Len Torr and many others.
We would like to thank all the helpers, volunteers, committee members/partners and friends who all gave their free time to raise over £1350 on the day which was shared equally between St. Mary’s Church and the Club. The official presentation took place on Tuesday 29th September at the Church’s Harvest Produce Stall held outside Rolleston Club where the cheque was presented to Ian Whitehead Rector of St. Mary’s Church.
Rolleston Club also hosted the Macmillan Coffee Morning at the end of September on a beautiful Friday morning. Numerous stalls including a tombola and raffle were supported by excellent refreshments, a cake stall, a handbag stall and many more contributors. The final figure paid into the Macmillan bank account amounted to £1400 which included a few donations made after the event. This again was made possible by volunteers who willingly supported this worthy cause. We must also mention the visitors and local residents who turned up on the morning and spent their money for Macmillan. Thank you to everyone involved.
An important addition to producing an excellent pint is the award of Cask Marque to Rolleston Club. Molson Coors and Fullers (suppliers of HSB) both supported financially towards the entrance fee and set in motion the process to assess the quality of our draught beers. Bass, Pedigree and HSB were tested on two separate occasions without the Club knowing when the test would take place and received a100% award on each visit. The criteria to meet the necessary standards were appearance, temperature, aroma and taste which were all of the highest standard. The Club is delighted by the award and a great deal of credit goes to Fran Dawes and the rest of the Staff for the upkeep of the beers in the cellar. Len Torr, our President, also continues to show a very keen interest in the beer quality and the management of the cellar.
Turning to Club events the Bowls season has now ended with Rolleston having a successful season. The Gents won the Parks League (Division 2) thereby gaining promotion. On a Saturday Jamie Brown, a new young player, won two achievement awards in Division 4 of the Burton and District League. Jamie topped the averages in away matches and gained the overall performance category for the combined home and away matches. This was a fine achievement for a player who only joined the Club this season. The Ladies Tuesday teams both finished second in their respective divisions. Carol Hyde in Division I and Catherine Ede in Division II led their teams valiantly and fought to the end before both were pipped at the post. The Ladies second team however did gain promotion and next season will meet their colleagues in a Division I encounter. In general all the teams were well supported by players which enabled the Bowls section to compete competitively in all competitions.
The Burton Crib League started on Tuesday 29th September with Rolleston entering two teams for the first time. They have not been represented in the League for a number of years and Mick Cheetham must be thanked for reviving one of the old traditional ‘pub’ games. Good luck to all the players.
Darts and Dominoes are also scheduled for a Tuesday and Thursday evenings respectively and more details will be available once the season commences.
The Main Hall is available for parties, christenings, weddings etc and we receive many requests for its usage. Unfortunately Saturday evenings are fully booked until June 2016 but other dates are available especially Sundays. If, as a member, you wish to use our facilities please book early to avoid disappointment.
On Saturday 26th September the entertainment was a ‘Freddie Mercury Tribute’ which was a sell-out. An excellent evening was enjoyed by all who attended making it a very successful night
Forthcoming Entertainment
14th Nov - MAMA DON’T ALLOW – Will keep you bopping all night long.
21st Nov – SILVER SAX – Brass band organised by Rolleston Royal British Legion
with all proceeds going to the British Legion.
28th Nov – THE DETROITS – Five piece Motown and Soul Band playing hits from 70’s
to present day.
12th Dec – SILICONE TAXIS – Burton’s premier soul,funk & rock’n’roll band
19th Dec – FAMILY DISCO – An opportunity to meet Santa Claus followed by a disco
for all the family.
27th Dec – NORTHERN SOUL & MOTOWN – Ticketed event.
31st Dec – DARK HORSES - A 5-piece solid rock covers band. Tickets members £5,
Guests £10. No children under 12.
9th Jan - TRIP - This three piece band play a great mix of covers from 50's to
present day including Elvis, Led Zeppelin, Stray Cats, Who, Jessie J.
30th Jan – JEWELS BAND - A top class band with a powerful female lead singer
playing rock, pop, soul and disco.
13th Feb- MOJOHAND - Four piece blues &rock band of top playing all your
favourite rhythm and blues and rock’ n’ roll hits.
27th Feb – ROCKING RAT BAGS - A fully professional duo play a wide range of hits
from 50's, 60's and 70's including a Glam Rock Tribute and Status Quo.
Doors open for entertainment at 7.30pm with groups scheduled to be on stage at 9.00pm. A small charge is made for members and their guests.
At the end of May the Annual Transport Festival took place with the Club providing a variety of refreshments including a barbeque for the vast numbers who attended. The Rolleston Club Committee wish to say a big thank you to all those who volunteered their free time to support the Day, their efforts supplemented the good work undertaken by the Transport Committee. The whole day was an excellent advertisement for the village and a great day out for all concerned.
The Burnside Coffee Lounge has continued to flourish and is now seen as a meeting point for many groups in the village. Kim keeps changing the menu adding some variety to the choices available also improving her reputation for the quality of food provided. If you have not visited the Coffee Shop give it a try and see what is on offer.
Club activities continue to flourish with the ‘B’ team winning the Burton and District Division 2 Snooker League. The team consisted of Kev Norris, Rob Saunders, Lionel Lewis, John Harvey and Rob Tubey. The players are to be congratulated on winning the Trophy which stands proudly in the Club’s Main Hall.
The Bowls Season is in full flow and the Club’s team are competing on many fronts. Two of our Ladies teams are top of the respective Leagues at the present time and hopefully will bring more success by the end of the season. The new pavilion is in continual use and has received many comments from our visitors who speak very favourably of the Club’s facilities. We are delighted that the Mayor’s Team will visit the Club for their annual game of bowls on Sunday 23rd August this has become a regular fixture in the Club’s programme.
We have again this year provided the opportunity for newcomers to learn the game of bowls. Nick Parr has arranged the training and guidance which has been well supported and given those involved the opportunity to practice the art of bowls. Nick has also been asked to arrange a special morning session for Doveside W.I. members.
It is anticipated that there will be a Club Crib Team in the Burton League this season. It is a number of years since we were represented and it appears that there is sufficient interest to raise at least one team on a Tuesday evening. A list has been posted asking for anyone interested to put their name forward and if you have missed the notice please contact the Club Secretary for further information.
Rolleston Club is very pleased to support the Burton Mail’s ‘Help the Hero’s’ Campaign. Members have been encouraged to donate their small change to the charity which has resulted in the collecting jars being filled very quickly. Visitors and friends have also called into the Club with small bags of coins and donations for this very worthy cause. The Burton Mail representatives have collected the pennies and other coinage and recently a photograph was published by the Mail showing two staff members handing over the monies raised. We will continue to support ‘Help the Hero’s’ for the duration of the campaign.
On 25th September the Macmillian Worlds Biggest Coffee Morning will be held in the Main Room and Snooker Rooms between 10am and 12 noon. This fund raising activity is always well attended and raises much needed finance for the charity. There will be many stalls including a tombola, raffle, handbag and book stalls, refreshments etc.
Two new Members have joined our Committee, Cate Flint and John Morris and we welcome both of them to assist with the organisation of Rolleston Club. Cate is presently updating the Club’s Web Page and Facebook and John is to assist with the organisation of the Gala Day.
A monthly newsletter is now operating successfully, after a small hitch with the second edition. Lisa Claber is producing the publication which is sent to members home e-mail address. If you wish to receive a copy and not already doing so please contact the Club and be included on the data base.
Entertainment is still taking place twice monthly with a varied programme of activities. I am told that Jewels Band, (a new group which appeared in June) were excellent and members are requesting that they return as soon as possible. Keith Norris is responsible for the programme which is shown below for the next three months.
In January the Club’s Treasurer, Kate Goldsmith, died suddenly and left a void in village life. The Burton Mail wrote ‘Wonderful’ Kate Goldsmith was at the heart of Rolleston community and this view was shared by our Committee, members of staff and many members of the Club. Kate’s contribution to the village and its many organisations during her five years in Rolleston cannot be underestimated.
However, life must go on and one of Kate’s major projects was the Rolleston Gala which will take place again this year. The Gala Committee met in March and decided to proceed on similar lines to previous years with Lorraine MacPherson taking over as Chairperson. The Gala will be held on Monday 31st August on The Croft and in the Club with a small number of additional classes added to the programme of exhibits. A trophy will be dedicated in Kate’s name for the photography section in recognition of her efforts and work in moving this village event to where it is today. Last year there were a record number of entries despite the weather and the list of classes is published in this Rollestonian so get your entries prepared and ready for the end of August.
Congratulations go to the Men’s Darts Team who won the Burton and District Tuesday Darts League in March. Roy Hickman and his team had to win their final game against The Dart’ ‘B’ Team and were successful, concluding an excellent season for Rolleston Club. Chris Wheildon also won the Division 1 Singles Final which completed the team success. Well done to everyone concerned.
The Bowls Pavilion is now complete and built in accordance with budget proposals. The Club’s President, Len Torr has overseen the work and has expressed his satisfaction at the standard of work carried out by Dave Blake. There were teething problems along the way but the end result justified the means and we have a Pavilion our members can be proud of. In addition East Staffordshire Sports Council has made the Bowls section a major financial contribution towards the surrounds of the green and also for additional woods and storage facilities. The ditches around the green will be filled by ‘rubber crumb’ to protect the players’ woods and enhance the appearance of our excellent green. Rolleston Club Committee would like to express their sincere appreciation to the Sports Council for their support of our Bowls Section.
The Annual General Meeting was held in April and it was reported that the Club had continued to make progress through the support of the membership. All Committee members have remained in post with Mike Halstead being appointed as Club Treasurer. We still have a small number of vacancies on the Committee and if you are interested please contact the Secretary to discuss the possibilities as all volunteers are welcome.
At the front of the Club you may have noticed the new tables and chairs which have been donated by Mike Teasel and Helen Booth from B & Q Distribution. The offer was arranged by Maggie Clarke, wife of the current Mayor, and the Club would like to thank everyone involved. This kind donation will enhance our frontage and enable members and guests to sit in comfort whilst enjoying a drink/snack.
The Club’s facilities are open to members and the hiring of the function room continues to exceed our expectations. We do not have a spare Saturday evening this year with family entertainment, parties and weddings using the room. The Club’s policy is not to disrupt the Bingo sessions on Friday evenings (except for 2/3 times a year) and they have already been taken. This leaves Sundays for a week-end event and if you wish to consider this option please contact the Club on 01283 812072 for further information.
The Entertainment programme for the next three months is detailed below.
ADVANCE NOTICE - For those members who have requested a return of the Freddie Mercury Tribute. We have made the booking and the tribute artiste will appear on 26th September along with his specialist guitarist who made the evening last year so spectacular. In addition Dark Horses have confirmed their appearance on New Year’s Eve and the Committee have agreed to keep ticket prices at a similar level to that of last year’s Disco.
For more information on the entertainment see the notice board displayed outside the Club or in the Newsletter which is a new addition produced by a member of the Committee.
Christmas has come and gone with a very successful period for the Club ending with the Seniors Party on 3rd January. We look forward to 2015 and hopefully continue with improving the Club’s facilities and providing activities for the young and old alike.
Our major project at the beginning of the year is the building of a new purpose built brick Bowls Pavilion. The previous wooden pavilion built in 1952 had health and safety concerns and had become dangerous and the flooring needed urgent attention. This structure was demolished in December and the new building is presently taking shape with the work having been passed at all stages by the East Staffordshire Borough Council Building Inspector. The Club received planning permission in May 2012 and it has taken eighteen months to reach the current position.
In the early stages the Club explored the possibility of obtaining a grant towards the substantial cost of a new pavilion. We were supported by many local organisations who indicated that the facility would enhance the village but unfortunately Biffa Environmental and Sports England both declined our application. The Committee therefore decided to ‘go it alone’ and build the pavilion from existing Club funds. This has needed careful financial controls but has been achieved without using the proceeds from the sale of surplus land in 2010/2011. It is anticipated that the new pavilion will be available for the start of the Bowls Season in April and if it survives as long as the previous wooden structure (hopefully much longer) all concerned in the project will be satisfied that a lasting facility will have been made available for members for many years to come. We would like to personally thank all the local organisations who wrote letters of support for the proposals during the last year and a half. These were greatly appreciated and encouraged the Club’s Committee to continue to achieve our objective of a new pavilion.
The Club would also like to thank Rolleston Parish Council who secured a grant from Staffordshire County Council towards the cost of two defibrillators, one to be sited at the Club and the other at Rolleston Cricket Club. The defibrillator at the Club will be located outside the building and be made accessible should an emergency occur in the surrounding area. Volunteers will be trained in its use but specific guidance advice will also be made available with the equipment.
The Club has invested in superfast fibre optic broadband which will be an improvement to the WIFI system. Members are welcome to use this facility, free of charge, to gain access to the network when visiting the Club.
Subscriptions ae presently being collected for 2015 and we are seeking e-mail addresses for circulation of the Club’s newsletter. This new initiative includes local news and events together with activities which take place in Rolleston Club. In the latest edition notification is included that we have been approached in connection with the possibility of having a crib team in the Burton League. We are delighted to support this request for the next season commencing in September and anyone interested in this game should contact the Club Secretary/
The Club’s Financial Year ended on 31st December 2014 and the accounts will be audited by Chartwell Practice. It is anticipated that the Annual General Meeting will be held in early April. Members are encouraged to join the Committee and put their views forward on the running of the Club. Nominations lists will be placed on the notice board during March.
The Club entertainment programme continues twice a month on a Saturday evening and details of the acts/bands are shown below.
Rolleston Village Gala - Bank Holiday Monday 31st August
Since its relaunch in 2010, the Rolleston Village Gala has continued to grow and be more successful every year and this year it is hoped that it will be even larger and even more successful.. The Gala, centered around the horticultural marquee and stalls on The Croft, will have its regular craft stalls in St Mary’s church, refreshments in the Old Grammar School, and lots more exhibits, stalls and refreshments in the Rolleston Club.
Floating On The Brook!
This year the Gala will be adding a new venue; the Alder Brook itself. This will
allow a new addition to the exhibitor’s schedule of “floating animals”. These
can be in any medium at all, they just have to float for the afternoon on the
brook. Anyone can enter an animal which will be registered into different age
categories. Will we be seeing hippos, crocodiles, maybe some ducks or even a
Loch Ness monster ?
Craft Classes
The full schedule will be published in the next Rollestonian, but apart from the
floating animals, the other already published classes are a birthday card, a
model, a decorative stitched, cross stitch or tapestry item, a patchwork item, a
wine bottle sleeve/cover, a wine glass charm, an item of jewellery, a piece of
turning, sculpture or pottery, a knitted or crocheted article, a toy (in any
medium), and a mobile to be displayed hanging.
Stalls
We are also looking for stall holders, as we would like to help local business
at the same time as raising money for local charities. We don’t charge for
stalls but ask for a donation at the end of the day.
Contacts
If you are interested in any of this and want to get more information, more
involved (helpers always required) or want to book a pitch for a stall, email
secretary@rollestonclub.org.uk or call Rolleston Club on 812072.
Return to Club Main Page
Last updated: 31 December 2015