This evening a large number of team members converged on the Jolly Crofters, Chorley Old Road, Horwich, for our Annual Christmas Social.

Our Equipment Officer – Vehicles Neil Aspinall visited the Jolly Crofters a few weeks back to see if the Landlords Alan and Sharon could put on a supper for us, not only did they agree to put on a hot pot supper for us all, they also very kindly stated they would do it completely free of charge as a festive gesture to show their support of the team.
Alan and Sharon jones are great supporters – and followers, of the team, currently having a Christmas Hamper Raffle at the public house to raise funds for the team.

The evening was a great success, despite a call out page at 19.28hrs from Lancashire Constabulary, just as the first team members were tucking in to their hot pot supper!

Thankfully this was resolved very quickly, but not before the evenings organiser Neil Aspinall and Landlords Alan and Sharon had the panic of what to do with two huge trays of steaming hot meat and potato pie as team members started to file out of the pub!

Twenty nine operational team members, four members of our Support Group – Gillian Gregory, Bob Melia, John Ryan and Iain Clarkson, potential team member Chris Jones, former Team member and ex Deputy Team Leader Ian Leigh (husband of team member Gill Leigh) and our Treasurers wife Stella Banks, attended tonight’s social.

During the social our Team Chairman publicly thanked Alan and Sharon Jones for their kind support of the team this evening, on behalf of all the assembled team members.

A steadfast group of drinkers! finally departed at around 00.15hrs. – Michael Wakerley, Gary Melia and John Ryan who shall all remain anonymous.

Staying on were our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE, Social organiser Neil Aspinall and Mike Marsh, who further chatted to our hosts Sharon and Alan Jones, with Sharon and Alan suggesting future ways they could support the Bolton MRT.

It turned out that Alan, in younger days back in the late 1970s undertook outdoor hill walking training with Bolton MBC at Overdale Youth Training Centre, which at the time was also our Base / HQ, and he could remember the team from those times.

The team will be presenting a plaque of appreciation to Sharon and Alan – now whether it says Ye Jolly Crofters or The Jolly Crofters or Jolly Crofters – well even Alan and Sharon were unsure on that one!