GEOFF GETS A SURPRISE!

The Club Chairman and ‘Mr. KCC’, Geoff Edmunds, received the the Walter Wightman Clubman of the Year award for 2019 at tonight’s AGM from the Club Secretary, Andy Smith, much to his surprise.

The Walter Wightman Clubman of the Year award was introduced in 1984 – 36 years ago – by the General Management Committee (GMC) in memory of Walter Whiteman. The aim is to acknowledge those non playing members who have assisted the Club in the past year, but it did not exclude playing members. It was normal for the selection to be made by the GMC as the other awards tended to be made by the Selection Committee for the players but like many aspects this had changed over the years and it soon became the Chairman’s sole decision to award it.

Jack Parkinson was the first to be awarded it, whilst Geoff first received it in 1985, who at the time – 35 years ago – was already heavily involved with the groundwork and square preparation at the Club and had been for some years, whilst playing League cricket for Clubs in the Birmingham League and also Minor Counties cricket for Shropshire before he returning to play all his cricket here.

Usually, Geoff decides who the recipient of the award will be but this year the GMC turned tables on him, to his total surprise, took control of the award unbeknown to him to present it to him, on behalf of the Club, instead of him always awarding it to others.

Geoff is certainly “Mr. KCC” with everything that he does at the Club and all the many hats he wears and doing so many other roles around the Club to keep it functioning.

His commitment is remarkable.

He has also just been re-elected Club Chairman and embarks in that role for 27th. consecutive year.

WELL DONE and THANK YOU for everything you do, Geoff. Most deserved.

Image: A very surprised Geoff receives the Walter Wightman Clubman of the Year award from the Hon. Secretary, on behalf of the Club and the GMC.

DUO AWARDED LIFE VICE PRESIDENT (LIFE MEMBER) STATUS

At the recent 2020 Annual General Meeting, the current Hon. Treasurer, Jonathan Cousins and the Hon. Secretary, Andy Smith were both appointed as a Life Vice President (Life Member) of the Club for their dedicated service to it.

They now join only 6 other living Club Members with that accolade, the highest award that the Club can grant.

They both joined the Club in 1989 and have both been involved in various roles within the Club over the decades, on both the playing side and off field activities. Both have been on the General Management Committee for a number of decades.

Jonathan (aka ‘Jonty’) has been the Club’s Honorary Treasurer since 2002 and has, to date, produced the annual Club Accounts for the past 18 years, responsible for the Club finances, as well as being involved in many other aspects of the Club since joining the Club.

Andy (aka ‘Plod’) has undertaken the Social Secretary, Membership Secretary, Press Officer roles on Committee and for the last 5  years he has been the Club’s Honorary Secretary.

The reason why it went

Our lovely Chestnut Tree in “Ray’s Corner” has had to be felled this week and is no more. Great shame.

It had a 1 metre vertical split on both sides of its trunk and was seeping sap from those cracks.

A professional Tree Surgeon had strongly recommended its removal and advised that it would be dead within 3 years, in any case.

Below is a cross section image of the relevant part of the trunk showing the crack across its diameter to both the edges where the sap was leaking from. Very sad but happy memories.