This event is over again for another year and what a successful day it was despite having fewer teams this year.
Work started at the Golf Club well before the registration started, with Pam Holland and friends busy setting up the reception / breakfast area and the prize table in readiness for the arrival of our teams.
No hold ups on the road meant that all of our golfers arrived in time for registration, coffee and bacon rolls, just the thing to get you off to a good start.
This year, we presented each of the golfers with their own goodie bag on registration as a thank you for their loyal support over the previous 15 years of Golf Classics held on behalf of Rehab UK - a small thank you really, but very well received. With over £550,000 already raised, could we really expect the funds raised this year to be in line with the previous ones?
With all of the golfers registered early, it gave Pam Holland and her team of lady volunteers (all members of the golf club) a chance to start mingling with everyone, encouraging them to start spending early. Raffle tickets lined everyone's pockets and the 'Name the Teddy' poster started filling up. The ladies assured me that the best time to catch the golfers is when the talk is all about them looking forward to their day on the greens.
Breakfast over, and as the golfers prepared to leave this magnificent club house to head out for the day, the ladies helping us out all moved on to where they were going to be for the day. With the on course prizes, the 12th hole Champagne marquee, clearing the reception, all areas to be looked after, these ladies knew exactly what they were doing, and were to be kept very busy for the rest of the day. Most of them have been helping us for many years, so were very familiar with the requirements.
The weather kept mostly dry with the sun shining on the teams. All teams stopped off at the 12th hole and enjoyed their champagne (or water for the more serious) before moving on to the final stretch of the course. Someone was smiling on us obviously as the heavens only opened up just at the time that everyone made their way back into the clubhouse for a much deserved drink.
The prize giving commenced on time and never one to miss an opportunity to rope someone else in to present the prizes, Pat Ruddy persuaded Pat Jennings (past Goal Keeper for Ireland, Arsenal & Spurs) to join him in the photo shoot. Thankfully, Pat Jennings agreed (and he thought he had only been there to play in one of the teams).
1st prize this year went to 'The Ruddy Team No. 2', not Pat Ruddy, but his sons who had entered their own team in competition against Dad. Needless to say, Pat Ruddy was the very proud father in the photos.
Helen Lane, a current client at the London Bridge Centre had very kindly agreed to come along in the evening - accompanied by her husband, Stuart - to relate her own experience of brain injury. Helen, although nervous, was extremely well received, and did a great job. She was very strong and clear in her delivery and got across all of her story without another sound being heard in the room. There are not many people that can silence a room of 90+ men (plus 5 women) especially ones who have just enjoyed plenty of wine with their dinner, but Helen managed just that. David Sollis, London centre manager, along with Steve Black, our Head of Development , were both there to join in the applause when Helen had completed her talk.
Following dinner, the grand auction was opened, with prizes this year including; 7 nights in Barbados; a week's golfing holiday in Murcia, Spain and a Box at Wembley up for grabs, and although team numbers were down on last year, the auction prizes raised around £14,000. It is hoped that with the money recently received from Canary Wharf Contractors (a link into Moor Park), along with the rest of the money raised before and on the day, we should again hit close to the £50,000 fundraising target.
A big thank you must go to all of our supporters in the background, with many donations received prior to the event from people who do not join us on the day, not forgetting of course, all of the staff at Moor Park Golf Club who provide nothing less than five-star service to us at Rehab UK and to all of the golfers attending on the day.
Added to all of our generous donators of auction prizes, hole sponsors and advertisers in the brochure, and everyone out there buying raffle tickets, this Golf Classic is still as successful today as it was 15 years ago.
As last year, a very big thank you must go to Pat Ruddy (Committee Chairman) and his trustee committee members. Without them, this event would not happen.
Next year's date is already booked and in the diary - FRIDAY MAY 8TH 2009
I can't wait: can you?
THANK YOU EVERYONE!
Sue Norman
Fundraising Manager
Rehab UK - Brain Injury Services
Borough Buildings
58-72 John Bright St
Birmingham
B1 1BN
Tel 0121 616 3900
Fax 0121 616 3909
susannorman@rehabuk.org
