Manchester Gathering

Anybody who believes that in order for an OG event to be a success there must be a huge turnout should have attended the Gathering in Manchester on Friday 13 February. This is not the first event staged on Friday 13th - we did it in Ilkley in 2007 and that was also a great success.

Chris Brownson once again very kindly made the Racquets Club and its wonderful staff available. The venue is a Victorian gem and we lacked for nothing in hospitality.
A demonstration of real tennis was put on by two young and very skilful members.
After enjoying all-inclusive drinks including champagne in the bar, everybody sat down at the same table in front of a roaring fire to a starter of poached and smoked salmon followed by succulent roast beef and Yorkshire pudding (what else - the organiser was after all a Yorkshireman). Queen’s pudding (he’s also a royalist) was followed by chocolates and coffee.

Martin Scriven thanked Chris Brownson and the staff for their efforts and those in attendance for supporting the event. He then introduced chief guest Lady Jardine, Chairman of The Friends of Gordonstoun who explained how she would be looking upon her role and that of the FoG in the family of Gordonstoun. Finally the irrepressible Ben Goss painted a very healthy picture from the inside track at the School. Everybody received a memento to take home and the finale of the evening was a bowling competition in the quaint old-fashioned skittle alley.

Further champagne flowed as, with a mixture of much hilarity laced with a little competitive spirit, Matthew Bird emerge victorious pushed all the way by Lady Jardine. Nobody believed that they hadn’t been practising hard in the lead up to the event! Chris Brownson wielded his camera to good effect, the results of which can be seen here.

Everybody then disappeared into the night having been reminded that it would be only a couple of months before the next GA North of England event at Ilkley Golf Club on Friday 17th April.

Present were : 
Mr and Mrs Ben Arkle  
Mr and Mrs Martin Scriven  
Mr Chris Brownson
Mr Anthony Brownson
Mr Keith Brassington
Mrs Amanda Anderson
Mr Matthew Bird
Mr Mark Bird
Mr Simon Wolf
Mr David Wolf
Mr Martin Menaged
Lady Jardine
Mr Ben Goss