News Updates

7th October 2024

NEXT MEETING VILLA GOLF
ON MONDAY 7 OCTOBER 2024

Villa Golf Course,
Blackham,
Tunbridge Wells,
Kent TN3 9UN
Tel. 01435 813456

 

20th October 2023

Message from a previous long term member Ken Cooper:

Hi John

I have just been reading the Wayfairers website and see John McDonnell has finally retired.  Please wish him well and Sue and thank him for the many happy hours spent with the Wayfairers.
I was pleased to see that the Wayfairers are to continue, I hope you are well. Is my old partner Tony Warrilow still around.  He must be 90 now as I am.
I still follow local golf and my two oldest grandsons are. representing Holtye in the Daily Mail Foursomes this year.
Please remember me to all the members of the Wayfairers.
Take care and all the very best to you. 

Ken Cooper

8th June 2023

I have attached a certificate that you may wish to share with your members for this donation.  Over the past year, we have supported over 600 children and young people who are coping with or facing the death of a loved one, and we continue to get new referrals every day.  We are so grateful for this donation which allows us to continue our support to every family that needs us.

Sally Ross
Fundraising Coordinator
Jigsaw (South East)

12th May 2023

THE New Charity we are supporting

Our past Secretary, John McDonnell, who was appointed at the inaugural meeting on 17th November 1995, nominated this charity for the Wayfairers on his retirement.  This was fully accepted by the Committee.

Crawley Open House

Established in 1982 as the Crawley Community Resources Centre, then incorporated in 1994 and renamed Crawley Open House. Today they are a registered charity with a mission to support those who find themselves experiencing homelessness in Crawley and West Sussex.

Crawley Open House is a year-round, high support hostel for those who are experiencing homelessness and hardship, also providing life-skills training and resettlement support for our residents and service-users. Through the tremendous support of our generous donors and trustees, they have been able to carry out the mission for over 40 years.

www.crawleyopenhouse.co.uk
Charity Commission details

Charity No:  1048919

 

 

28th April 2023

The Annual General Meeting held on 28th April fully supported the continuation of the Wayfairers.  Full details later.

11th February 2023

AGM to be held at Horne Golf Club on 28th April 2023 at 09:30 

Agenda 

  1. Welcome to the meeting 

  2. Future of Wayfairers
    a.  Acceptance of Constitution

  3. Election of Officers

    Secretary – Vacant
    b.  Treasurer – Nomination Derek Reeves
    c.  Match Day Coordinator – Nomination John Bateson

  4. Future Events

  5. Past Year

    Report on the Events of 2022
    b.  Final Financial Results including the Raffle Fund

  6. Any Other Business


    Full AGM pack with financial results included here
    AGM 2023 Agenda and Financial Results

    Please bring a printed copy to the AGM. 

 

THE FUTURE OF THE WAYFAIRER’S GOLF SOCIETY

8th February 2023

Extract of email sent to members.

Dear Members of Wayfairers

Following the resignation of John McDonnell as Secretary after 27 years of sterling service and the resignation of Kam Wong as Treasurer, the future of the Society is in doubt. Richard Whitehead was to take over as Secretary but Richard has an invalid wife to care for and after careful consideration has decided that the demands of Secretary would be too great.  However we are pleased to report that Derek Reeves has agreed to take over as Treasurer, John Bateson has agreed to continue in his role as Match Day Coordinator plus, at least for the time being, additional secretary duties. David Smith has volunteered to help with match day duties. Retrospective approval is to be sought at the AGM together with any further applications for these posts!! 

Although we are still short of a Secretary, it has been agreed that we will put on a meeting at HORNE PARK GOLF CLUB ON FRIDAY 28th APRIL when an AGM followed by 18 holes of golf and a meal has been arranged.  This will either be a farewell to the Wayfairers or the springboard for its continuation in a reduced form.  With the retirement of John McDonnell it is inevitable that the Society could not continue as it has in its glorious past.

John Bateson

29th January 2023

Dear Members

Here as promised is the latest update regarding the situation with the Wayfairers and it does contain some positive news.  Very pleased to announce that Derek Reeves is very kindly willing to take over Kam’s role as Treasurer and John B. has decided to continue his Match Day Organiser’s tasks.  Also Richard and David have both volunteered to help in any capacity in which they can be useful.  Sorry but my position remains unchanged and I won’t be continuing as Secretary and due to current circumstances I do not wish to be involved in any way until March at the earliest.

I now leave the above mentioned members to put their heads together to try to sort out where we go from here and hopefully an updated circular to come from them will follow this one.  Usually at this time annual subscriptions would be in demand together with details of the first gathering of the year traditionally held in April but for the moment please be patient and await further information..

Thank you  – John McD

 Update of Handicaps February 2023

27th January 2023

Encouraging comments from John Bateson, Match Coordinator

Gentlemen,

Heart warming to see the emails of appreciation from which it would seem there is support for the Wayfairers carrying on even if there is not a rush to take on any of the duties.
Given the current situation and subject to my own health problems, I would be prepared to continue with my current responsibilities in getting the prizes , score cards,  handicaps  etc.
I was surprised to learn that Kam was relinquishing the post of Treasurer and wondered ,if we could put together a management team, if he could be persuaded to carry on for a further year rather than see the demise of the Society? Pleased to note Derek Allen’s offer of help on the day and great to see Richards offer which I would be happy to discuss with him further.
 I am still hopeful of keeping the Society  going albeit in perhaps a simplified version .
I attach the handicap record for the year ending 2022 for information and Derek to include on the web site
Optimistically looking ahead, a programme for next year could be: Horne Park, Villa, Ifield, CherryLodge, Holtye. Also a possible addition of Copthorne .  Cherry Lodge and Copthorne would be expensive but I would suggest a £10.00 a head subsidy from our vast store of funds that Kam is sitting on !  This should encourage support for these venues .
 
Yours optimistically
 
John         

16th January 2023

Important Statement by the Secretary

Dear Members

Normally about this time in January a circular would be issued requesting payment of Society membership fees for the forthcoming year.  Unfortunately on this occasion it is not quite as simple as this.  After a great deal of thought over the past few months and due to current circumstances, I have sadly decided that now following my 88th birthday and after serving the Society as Secretary for the past 27 years it is time to call it a day.

In doing this I am joined by our Match Day Organiser John Bateson who has been a vital founder member of our management team since our inauguration in 1995.  There are many varied reasons for us coming to this decision and we are followed by Kam our Treasurer who in the light of our news is also announcing his resignation as is Peter Rushton who has been our honorary auditor ever since our formation.

So the Society is in a real state of flux with nothing whatsoever booked or arranged so far for 2023.  I would hasten to add that all these resignations have nothing whatsoever to do with anything except practical personal considerations.  There is no underlying discontent or any other reasons apart from anno domini and other health related reasons.

The need is for a new management team if one can be arranged.  Volunteers for Secretary, Match Day Organiser & Treasurer are urgently required and full support from current officers in these positions would be forthcoming to aid any newcomers.  For the moment no future plans or dates are being proposed or subscriptions requested but if you do consider volunteering and would like more information regarding these positions please contact me as soon as possible and hopefully in the next fortnight after which time if no responses have been  forthcoming it will be considered that we have no takers.

A further update will be circulated as soon as the situation becomes clearer but if no volunteers do  come forward the future of our Society will be in jeopardy with a need for an Emergency Meeting having to be organised to discuss winding up rather than the traditional Annual General Meeting which normally would be due.

Thank you

John McDonnell

Return to Chiddingfold where The Wayfairers Golf Society formed in 1995
(Also added to Earlier Casual Days) Click Here

Chiddingfold Golf Club

 
The Pandemic and lockdown played havoc with the Wayfairers planned 25th Anniversary celebration and with the deferred scheduling into the August holiday period of 2022 and the travel distance for many, the event looked like a non-starter.
However, nine stalwarts including four of the original members, were available and determined that even if a formal Wayfairers meeting could not be held, an informal casual day was possible.  And what a success it turned out to be!  Wayfairer’s weather, coffee and bacon baps under the umbrellas, a warm welcome from the club and the tee vacant for whenever we were ready to tee-off.  A splendid day enjoyed by all.
 
Players: John Bateson Founder member
  Frank Houlihan  Founder member
  Jeff Hogg  Founder member
  Dennis Shelley Founder member
  Derek Reeves  
  Peer Blakeley  
  Christopher Lavender  
  Mick Shiel  
  Richard Whitehead  
                
The course was very much as we remembered it with but two holes changed.  It presented an interesting golf challenge without being long, with the dreaded 14th now even harder as the undergrowth in the ravine has grown well, over the passing years!.
 
And so to the results and the distribution of bottles of plonk. 
Following a steward’s inquiry the first prize was awarded to Mick Shiel with 32 points on countback from Richard Whitehead.
The team competition was hotly contested  but won by John, Jeff and Christopher on 45 points on countback from Derek, Mick and Richard.  Dennis, Frank and Peer came a close third with 41 points.
 
Nearest the pin on the 6th hole (The Barry Richard’s Never to be Forgotten Hole in One) –  Peer Blakeley
 
It was nice to see that the comradeship and humour of the inaugural meeting back in 1995 lives on.
 

 

 
Wayfairers Clothing

Our suppliers are : PAPILLON EMBROIDERY LTD
10 Gaysland Cottages
Tandridge Lane
Lingfield  Surrey  RH7 6LW  Tel: 01342 893596
Web site: http://www.papillonembroidery.co.uk/

Our Charity - Kent Sussex & Surrey Air Ambulance Service

On Monday 16th August 2021we finally managed to present our long delayed charity donation to the Kent Sussex & Surrey Air Ambulance Service.  Fund raising for this had begun in late 2018 but with £1,000 in total raised  in a period of 2 years any hand over had  had to be put on hold due to  all the lengthy ongoing covid restrictions.
Now, with many of these restrictions lifted, in an attempt to arrange the presentation as speedily as could be regrettably it was agreed it would not be possible to organise a ceremony with all the  members present. However on Monday mornings a few members do gather at Holtye for a game and we asked them to represent the rest of you at a short ceremony together with the Secretary , Treasurer and Match Day Organiser.
Following an initial meet up of the Committee with a representative of the Air Ambulance Service  – David Mantz  – all went outside on to the edge of the 18th green for the presentation.
Our donation has been most gratefully received and will be put to very good use.  Just a few hours after handing over the cheque on the South East Today TV programme it was reported that the  ambulance had been in service for an urgent call not all that far away over the border in Kent.
It looks like money well spent as the Service  is  reliant on donations and receives little official financial support.
Since 2006 when at an AGM it was agreed that our Society should be  “outward looking” as well as rather more self centred, money has been raised for  7 different charities with  new recipients being agreed by vote every 2 years.  In total to date a sum of  £6,853 has been raised going to –

St Catherines Hospice,  Macmillan Cancer,  Prostate Cancer UK, Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research,  The Alzheimer’s Society, Parkinson’s UK,  Kent, Sussex  & Surrey Air Ambulance Society.

Early History
Chiddingfold

Chiddingfold Golf Club

The early days are recorded from November 1995 to January 1999. Also included are all the AGMs and the financial results since inception – a must for those historians amongst us. Click Here: Early Days

Records of 100 meetings & casual days. Click Here: 

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