It had all the ingredients of a fun Xmas party News

Great company, good food, talented entertainers, Christmas carols and the odd glass or two to wash it all down. Our party planners extraordinaire Kevin Cleary and George Andreae did us proud……..

It may have been cold and damp outside, but inside Romsey Golf Club RMVC members, wives, partners and friends as ever took no time to warm up. Social Secretary Kevin together with ace swimmer, and long-time RMVC worker, George Andreae, had everything arranged to ensure a successful evening and successful it certainly was.

As always the Golf Club managed the dinner service with efficiency and a smile, so once appetites were satiated the eclectic, and often amusing entertainment began. To find one surprising talent amongst the assembled company was a happy event, to find five a huge bonus. It would be indelicate to pick out any one of these performers for particular applause, but perhaps on this occasion we must mention the fact that one of the talents lay in Treasurer Andrew Fleming’s wife Fay. Singing ‘An Ode to the Maxies’ her cleverly written and beautifully performed Ode drew a well-deserved standing ovation, and to cap it all it was the first time the Boys relinquished the stage at the Christmas party to one of their ladies.

However, we must mention our other acts, whose entertainment value was no less ‘entertaining’. Kevin held the reins of compere nobly filling in gaps with his two poems Santa’s Secret and The Scottish Trip. Romsey Voices gave us two Christmas songs, while Deputy Chairman Jim Philbin, looking a little like an excited monk in a most becoming hat, sang Reviewing the Situation. On a more serious note Clive Matthews and Kevin moved us in their duet Myvanwy, before Mick Summerhayes strung us all along with a little magic. Finally, President Keith, with team Robert Le Grice, Clive Matthews, Ron Taplin and Stan Farrell, performed a slightly irreverent (and short) version of Cinderella. Robert, we will never see you again in the same light ‘allwight?’

No Choir Christmas party is complete without everyone joining together in song. This year Christmas carols followed by an RMVC tradition The Twelve Days of Christmas – a boisterous rendition galvanising each table of party-goers to leap up and down to belt out ‘five gold rings’ or whichever day they were assigned to sing. Cinders had almost lost her shoe when the party slowed to its end and the drift towards the car park began.

Afterwards Deputy Chairman Jim Philbin paid tribute to Kevin and George. “When you are the grateful recipient of other peoples efforts, they make it look easy, but I know Kevin and George worked long and hard to give us all a great evening. I certainly thank them for that and I am sure everyone else attending would add their thanks as well.”