4 teams (each of up to 6 persons) took part in the games on the Saturday, and all had a fun time in the sun – despite protestations in the morning that “perhaps we are all getting a little old for these “party games”? Not as busy as previous years, but 16 boats in all made it to Beccles and hopefully, all had a good weekend.

The raffle later was to be a “Pot-of-Gold”, and tickets were on sale throughout the day.

We left the gazebos’ fronts wide open again for the day, thinking that the changeable weather may mean holding the games “indoors”, but the sun came out just at the right time, and Bim shoo’ ed us all outside for a 3pm start. There were six games in all, 3 old favourites – Ball balancing; Boules; and Cards – then new “Paper planes”; Peter’s “Bean bag throwing”; and then Bim’s new game, “On a Roll”. The latter was the funniest – and rudest – where Bim had provided 4 half-broomsticks with foam rubber padding, and 2 toilet rolls.  2 opposing teams of Boy/Girl had the sticks between their legs, trying to transfer a toilet roll from one stick to the other – but not using hands! You get the gist?    

Jackie had provided one of her fiendish “photo montage” boards, set up in the gazebo earlier in the morning, for contestant teams to peruse at their leisure and answer for more team points, and Peter had set up his giant tower of “Jenga” in the gazebo for amusement throughout the afternoon. All games conducted with great fun and effort, and they were all completed by 4.30pm, giving plenty of time to “compute” the scores before the evening session. BBQ’s were fired up around 5pm and all had a well-deserved break until gathering in the gazebos at 7.30pm or so, ready for “Bimgo”. Sandra C was selling the bingo cards at £1 each – with again just monetary prizes (based on P-o-G format, with a contribution to the club). Sandra was somehow very clever at this selling of the bingo cards, as she sold herself one card which won all 3 of the prizes. Suspicious or not? Jackie gave the answers to her picture quiz – but scores were low and didn’t make much difference to overall team scores – except Bim awarded an extra half point to team “Plan B” (their score then 2 ½ out of 24) which was the winning team difference. So, the winner of the “Paul Hodgson” Trophy was team “Plan B” (Dave, Dee, Simon, Sue, and Tina) (no Beaky, Mich, or Tich?) on 45 ½ points, closely followed by the “Oulton Oldies” on 45 points (John, Sandra T, Jackie, Peter, Sandra H, and Roger). Team “Wagtails” was third on 43 points (Sally, Graham, Alice (wt! is Alice?), Mike, Gray and Kath) and team “the Dykers” bringing up the rear on 42 points (Sandra C, Bill, Audrey, Colin, Jen, and Steve).

“Bimgo” was done quickly by Bim, and the raffle drawn before the music and dancing begun, a little late at nearer 9pm. Roger won the top raffle prize of £50, and Sandra C won all 3 money prizes on the bingo, albeit with 2 others sharing on the Full house  Well done them, and congratulations to team “Plan B” for their success in the team games.

The music and dancing were boisterous, with newcomer Tina singing alongside Bim and John, and Graham once again doing a very comical session of his “George Formby” act. What a great night, finished too soon at 10.30!

Everyone enjoyed the Funday, so that on the Sunday morning, members were saying what a lovely day they had, and we should do the same format next year! No thought of us oldies then?

 

Ken      August 2024