This evening 24x Call Out list and Support Group team members, along with their spouses, families and friends enjoyed a fanatastic barbecue at the Baldwin Farm, Westhoughton, home of trainee team member Sue Purtill.

With music provided by the travelling disco of trainee team member Matthew Hailwood, and food aplenty (in which our Catering Officer had some involvement) those present enyoyed the mild and clear starlit night, with drinks aplenty flowing.

Inevitably the games started, involving knocking nails in a baulk of timber, the hefting of bails of hay, riding brakeless Mountain Bikes, rolling car tyres, wheelbarrow racing and avoiding traffic cones!

The competitiveness of the team members (never far from the surface) then came into play with Paul Brain displaying an amazing turn of speed, Craig Lamb demonstrating how not to ride a bike (the alcohol consumed having no bearing on this ’apparently.’), Gyles Denn coming to a full body sliding halt on his mountain bike journey (just to ensure he got over the finish line first), Louise Jorgensen managing to clout a six inch nail into the baulk of timber in almost one superhuman belt of the hammer and our Team Leader Garry Rhodes engaging in a head to head wheelbarrow race with Fred Taylor.

All congratulations to Call Out list member Fred Taylor and Support Group member Hazel Kennedy for coming through the many games rounds to be declared the ’Winners of the Evening.’

All present wish to extend thanks to Sue Purtill, her husband and family who made us most welcome, and had obviously spent a long time getting the barn tidied up and enjoying hosting and organising the games.
(and yes, there were some thick heads in the morning, mainly from those who had camped out overnight at the farm, with Peter ’never again’ Heeley taking the worst hangover prize)