Fortunately The Barn was able to accommodate us all inside comfortably, and our hosts Jackie and Jean served up excellent barbecue fare (and even cakes for dessert). And with the wine flowing freely all evening, we managed to forget about the wonderful British summer weather, and a good time was had by all. Sadly the planned outdoor sporting extravaganza (well OK - boules and putting!) had to be abandoned, as did the glorious views across the Surrey hills from this famous beauty spot.

We did however see some old friends – including former Club member Mike Waller, and our ex-Chairman Stephen Lewis and his mother Jenny, both still stalwarts at our regular bowling evenings. We even welcomed some guests along this year, having relaxed our ‘members and partners only’ policy, so it was nice to meet some new folk too.

Another major plus was that not having done the catering ourselves, as we have done on many previous occasions, there was no washing up – result!. The weather really didn’t relent all evening, so we hope everybody made it home without too much trouble. We’ve put in an order for better weather next year – but don’t hold your breath!

By the way, we understand The New Barn Café will soon be opening for evening meals as well as during the daytime. They have a great choice of food and can be contacted on 01483 222820.