It's been a busy old time down at the mighty Chipstead over the last week.
It all started on Friday at a rather boozy black tie fund raising affair with the hope of raising a bit of cash towards the new clubhouse (Which as you'll see below is taking shape quite nicely).
Before Friday we were probably around £35,000 short and the whole club had been wracking their brains to work out how we can raise the rest. Let's just say a couple of bottle of wine and a charity auction were all that was needed. Here's my hazy recollections of how Friday night panned out.
Train, beers, starter, beers, fundraising game, wine, main course, wine, cheeseboard, speech from the foxiest of men Graeme Fowler, getting told off by Foxy, wine....
And from here things started to get a little bit silly. The charity auction followed with some great lots including the chance to play a doubles game at Wimbledon, an executive box for a T20 game at Lords and a signed England rugby shirt. Proceed much bidding, banter and cheque writing. You get the picture...
Following some outrageous bidding and with the majority of the room feeling either slightly worse for wear (myself included) or slightly skint (Brian Padfield included) things seeemed to be heading for a quiet finish.
Cometh the moment cometh the Theo.
Our celebrity auction host and everyone's favourite Dragon Theo Paphitis wants to wrap things up with a final announcement. In a dramatic turn of events, Mr P's right hand man, Chipstead's silver fox chairman, Ian Childs has been somewhat neglecting his duties due to his commitment to the Chipstead revolution. Net result Mr P wants Childsy back and vouches to cover the remaining cost of the clubhouse just so Ian can get back to pulling his weight. What a hero.
My take on the event is that either Ian is pretty good at his job (debatable) or Theo is just a bloody good bloke (likely). Either way this announcment and pending cheque for £25,000 means a cause for celebration. Me and foxy make up, everyone has another port and Mrs Padfield goes home via Croydon to drop the lads of (Brian excluded) at some salubrious drinking establishment.
What a night.....what a bloke..... and what a hangover!
As for the new clubhouse name, current suggestions include "The Den" or "Theo's fortress". I personally wont have problem if suddenly I'm bowling from the Rymans end come May 8th.
Theo we thank you.
Is this the final proof that it's not what you know, it's who you know?! Perhaps Ian Childs can confirm.
ReplyDeleteHats off to Theo, tho. Hope his children's inheritance isnt too badly affected.
Debra Meaden would have been a better investor in the pun stakes (bowling a Meaden over; Double Wicket Meaden). But Theo the hero has a similar ring.