Spring Dinner.

To be held at the Ark, Gallards Close, Southborough on the 21

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March 2009, 6.30pm for 7.00. Not quite so early in the year as usual, but this very popular occasion always contributes to a good start. It is not a fund raising event so the cost of £11.50 per person may be paid at the Dinner to Direct Catering Services who will, once again, provide the meal for us. Vegetarian options will be available for both courses. The price includes a glass of wine or soft drink as requested as well as a dessert, tea or coffee and mints.

If you came last year you will certainly want to come again and, if not, do try to come to this one so that you can meet some of your fellow members and have a very enjoyable evening.

For menu details, other information and booking please ring Mike Handcock on 01892 528495.

Annual General Meeting

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We look forward to meeting all members at the Annual General Meeting to be held on
Friday 20

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February 2009 at 7.30pm at The Ark, Gallards Close, Southborough.

Subscriptions are now due and may be paid on the night. Cheques should be made payable to ‘S.A.K.A.’.

“Grand Charity Cabaret” - 27

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September

Once again SAKA found an alternative use for Christ Church Day Care Centre when it hosted its second annual evening of fun and frivolity to raise funds to help support the victims of the great famine of 1932-33, many of whom are still living in poverty in Ukraine.

Don Buckland, dressed as a cockney rebel, started us off with a rendition of “Brahn Boots” by Weston & Lee describing some rather unusual attire at Aunt Hanna's funeral. Don is chairman of the Bidborough Dramatic Society. Gina Franks, another BDS member, raised the tone exponentially when she sang beautifully “Tell Me Fair Lady” from Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro”. Unfortunately the MC’s joke afterwards about Figaro being a fertilizer popular in Vienna in the 18

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century didn’t go down too well.

Next up was David Ward, a very talented member of SAKA, who demonstrated not only his magical abilities but also his virtuosity on the accordion. He didn’t make it disappear but at least one of his balloon dogs did just that and with a bang, before a successful creation was presented to a young member of the audience. He didn’t try to saw any ladies in half but apparently David does have two half sisters!

Terry Langford, from the Paddock Wood Magpies, entertained with his splendid singing. As we discovered last year, Terry is keen on Elvis and his performance of “Girls! Girls! Girls!” this time was legendary. It was then Mike Handcock’s turn to be all at sea when his advances to the lovely Gina Franks were rudely interrupted by the cleaning lady, alias Colette Marsh, in a sketch entitled “You’re Just in Love”. It seems he changed allegiance in the end – it must be an age thing!

Undiscouraged by performing in front of a SAKA audience earlier in the evening Don Buckland made another appearance with “A Pale Young Curate” from Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Sorcerer”. The musical interlude was followed by Anne Holford, another BDS member, performing a Joyce Grenfell sketch entitled “The Committee”. It seemed all too familiar and yes we’ve all been to meetings like that!

It was about this time that we were beginning to receive news about the impact of the credit crisis on the Japanese banks. To mention just a few of those affected, we learned that the Origami Bank had just folded, Sumo Bank had gone belly up and apparently Investigators have realised that something fishy is going on at the Sushi Bank because customers have reported getting a raw deal.

Terry Langford stepped up to the podium for a second session. He was to be accompanied this time by Pat Jay but he was unfortunately still stuck on the M25. Nevertheless Terry carried on manfully. The finale was provided by Gina Franks with “I’m Just the Girl who Can’t Say No” from Oklahoma. Gina’s piece, and indeed all the singing, except for Terry who had his own equipment, was accompanied by Erica Counsell on the piano. Erica did a tremendous job and in recognition of her stoicism the SAKA committee may want to consider the services of a piano tuner before next year’s event!

A welcome fish and chip supper was once again produced by the Wei Lin’s Fish Bar in Western Road. Rhona Handcock and granddaughter Sally Andrew had prepared an excellent choice of desserts, so no one went home hungry. The Mayor of Southborough, Cllr. Colin Bothwell, presided over the Grand Draw for which tickets had been on sale throughout the summer. Thanks to all those who sold tickets, those who bought them and those who provided prizes, we were able to raise £393 and a further £120 was made as a result of the social event, which made good publicity for SAKA as well as producing a lot of laughter and enjoyment. Congratulations to the hard-working committee and those who participated in the cabaret.

This event is now a firm and successful fixture in SAKA’s calendar so make sure you don’t miss out next year. You won’t find a better value evening anywhere!

Robert Prance.

Support our supporters!

Without the support of those commercial organisations who donated prizes, we would not have been able to have staged such a successful Grand Draw. When making purchases, always keep these names in mind:

SEAFRANCE – Channel ferry services

Pantomime Productions – “Cinderella” at the Royal Victoria Hall this Christmas
Bidborough Dramatic Society – The comedy “Tons of Money” at the Bidborough Village Hall November 13

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– 15th.

Southborough Butchers

The Grand Draw

Full list of prizewinners:

1

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prize Seafrance Channel crossing for 5 plus car. Andrej Kotlarcyzk, Bidborough
2

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prize Family ticket Cinderella Pantomime Brian Dobson, Tunbridge Wells
3

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prize Family ticket Cinderella Pantomime Colin Bothwell, Southborough
4

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Prize Ticket 4 persons “Tons of Money” by Peter Johnson, Crowborough
Bidborough Dramatic Society
5

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prize Fold-up luggage set Anne Holford, Bidborough
6

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prize Framed Print– St. Peter’s church overlooking Daisy Fletcher, Southborough
cricket on Southborough Common
7

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prize Picnic hamper Mandy Dier, Crowborough
8

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prize Southborough Butchers’ voucher David Coward, Southborough
9

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prize “Jack the Ripper” book Debbie Cole, Bidborough
10

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prize Fold-up case Elizabeth Calladine, Tonbridge
11

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prize Swiss chocolates Rowena Morris, Southborough
12

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prize Chartwell table mats Michael Holman, Tunbridge Wells
13

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prize Leather handbag Audrey Constable, Pembury
14

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prize Condiments set Robert Prance, Southborough

Members worked hard to put together a worthwhile event on Saturday 16

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August and the weather was kind to us. Southborough Mayor, Councillor Colin Bothwell, performed the official opening reminding people that this was the second year we had held such an event and that this year we were raising money to help poor, elderly people in Kaniv. We were all delighted to have Anya with us on her first visit to England from Ukraine. She had been a pupil at School Number Six when the President, Chairman and their respective wives first visited Kaniv in September 2003. Now she is well into her course at University in Kiev.

Our publicity before the event was better this year but attendance was probably a little down on last year. However we were competing with “Super Saturday” in Beijing so we can be well pleased that a reasonable number of the general public spent time with us and that 20 of our members came either as helpers or customers. Tombola proved the most popular stall but, books, bric-a-brac, plants, games, teas, a raffle and ticket sales for the Grand Draw all helped us reach a very respectable profit on the day. A number of people found the exhibition about the Great Famine of 1932-33, when between 7 and 10 million Ukrainians are believed to have starved to death, most interesting. Copies of the Supplement which accompanied the display are available from the Chairman (01892 528495) on request.

Our thanks go to Direct Catering, who once again supplied the ever popular BBQ and most of all to all the helpers who did such a splendid job and made the event a very pleasant social occasion.

This was very much a new venture for us, so we were a little apprehensive as to its potential success, especially as the weather in the days beforehand had made preparations quite difficult. However the owners, all SAKA members, of the three gardens in Southborough and the residents of an interesting community garden were prepared to take a chance and open their gardens to members and friends. The weather on the day was kind and each of the gardens was delightful in its own special way. It was a typically English occasion with visitors eager to ask questions, chat with one another, admire the beauty set out before them and to appreciate the work that had been put into each garden to make it attractive for them. A very pleasant social occasion on a fine June afternoon just had to finish with the serving of traditional English cream teas on the lawn of the last garden of the tour. Everyone was agreed that the afternoon had been very worthwhile and a positive success. Thank you to all those who had helped to make it so.

The Beetle Drive attracted sixteen people, mostly members plus a few guests. This was the third such event we have organised and to those members who have not yet attended one, we suggest you come along and surprise yourselves just how enjoyable they can be. No-one begrudged the fact that our hard-working events organiser was the winner – after all she does draw magnificent beetles!