Organised very capably again this year by team member Gillian Leigh, (with help from her husband, ex team member and former Deputy Team Leader Ian), the evening’s meal and after dinner entertainment attracted sixty five guests.

Those attending included most of our Call Out list and Support Group members along with their partners, and former team member Mark Parry and his wife Gill.

Following the excellent meal, our Life Vice President Tony McNally welcomed all to the evening and introduced all to our ’host’ (and entertainment) for the evening, our very own Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE.

Garry then commenced proceedings with our annual formal awards.

The Stanley Award for the Most Promising New Team Member was presented to Nigel Booth, aged 47, of Bolton, who joined the team last year in August, for his enthusiasm, dedication and commitment to the team and his ready willingness to help out at whatever task is asked of him. (Nigel is a full time fire fighter with GMFRS, being the Watch Manager at Bolton North – Crompton Way Fire Station)

Chris Greenhalgh accepting the Stanley Award on behalf of fellow fire fighter Nigel Booth

The Howard Hill Memorial Tankard Award for the person or persons making an outstanding contribution to the workings of the team was presented to very experienced Team Call Out list member Alistair Greenough.

Alistair Greenough with the Howard Hill Memorial Tankard

(Howard Hill was a team member from 1969 upto his death in 1990, during which time he was Team Leader for 6 years from 1983 to 1989)

Alistair Greenough, aged 42, of Leigh, joined the team in April 2002, and in full time employment is an Accident and Emergency Nurse at Warrington Hospital.

Alistair was presented with this award for his very appreciated teaching and guidance role, both formal and informal, within the teams casualty care training, throughout the many years to date of his membership.

Garry then presented his usual ‘Informal Awards,’ his version of the ‘Gotcha’s,’ now in its 26th Anniversary year, first started in 1985 with Garry only having two breaks from presenting such over the years since.

Paul Copley proudly receives the chrome-dome of the year award

Regular readers may recall the story where our kitchen area was mysteriously wrecked on 8th October 2011. Neil Aspinall to the rescue! (who shot Sammy the Squirrel?)

Garry presented nineteen hand made by him ‘Informal Awards’ in eighteen categories to twenty of the hapless guests tonight, who were all lucky (unlucky) to be reminded in front of everybody present of deeds done that they would rather have been forgotten!

Steve O’Hara became a dad (again!) and receives the Randy Old Goat award

David Crawford receives the Honory Doctor award for gaining top marks on our recent Mountain Rescue Casualty Care course

As is usual a competition was held on the night to guess the length of time our Team Leader would keep all enthralled with his amusing recollections of all the misdemeanours carried out by some of the guests tonight who received ‘awards.’

It goes to show it doesn’t matter how long you have been in the team. Founding member Alan ’General’ James in commemoration of going to the wrong location for an incident

The teams dogging couple, Paul Chisholm and Ashley Kilshaw (Ashley regularly helps Trainee SARDA dog handler Paul Chisholm with his trainee search dog training)

Guests at the meal all contributed £1.00 each to guess the time with 50% of the collection going to the Team and 50% to the winner.

Ashley Kilshaw gets a bit excited at blue light runs, so now he can recreate his own with his own blue beacons and kazzoo!

Diane Blakeley receives additional protection for when she uses her sheewee (Google it!)

The winning time of 1 hour 11 minutes and 54 seconds was made by Hindle Gregory, (Husband of our Team Secretary Gillian Gregory) and as he was sat on the same table as Garry, his winnings of £28.00 were immediately subjected to a ‘Stewards Enquiry’ by Ian Leigh (Husband of the Dinner organiser, Gillian Leigh) who incidentally had a very close 2nd position ‘time estimate!’

Alistair Greenough receives a ready breakfast tin so he can celebrate his wedding anniversary in fine dining style for 2014

Steve Fletcher receives an award for a water related misadventure on the Bridgewater Canal

With determined raffle ticket sales by our very persuasive ‘Raffle Ticket Sales Team,’ made up of our Trainee Team Members present, and with the tantalising promise of an amazing sixty raffle prizes on offer, the fantastic sum of £327.50p was raised by the raffle this evening.

Naomi Horan for going above and beyond the call of duty when on ambulance assists (Stinking Horan In the Team)

Kris Kilshaw for coming second in all the extra-curricular activities on the Foundation Course

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the very kind persons who made raffle prize donations, from the usual bottles of wines to Hot Air Balloon Flights!

Team President Bob Hutchinson regales us with his favourite joke, again…

Chris Greenhalgh with an award concerning a night time rescue in a cemetery (follow which light?)

We would particularly like to thank the following for their donations to our raffle tonight; A £20.00 meal voucher from Steve Kershaw, owner of Curley’s Dining Rooms, Wallsuches, Horwich, and a copy of the cookery book “Pie Society” donated and signed by the author – Master Chef, Author & Catering Adviser to the Food Industry, Tom Bridge (www.cookerydetective.com).

Gillian & Hindle Gregory with their “Who killed Percy Peacock?” Award

Trainee Martin Battersby receives the only possible penalty award for answering a pager message intended for our Team Leader and Deputy Team Leader

The Dinner and Awards evening went on into the late hours and then reconvened much later in a certain hostelry in Leigh (More lemonades and soft drinks!)
Next years Annual Team Dinner and Presentation Awards Evening is at the same location, on Friday evening 16th May 2014.