Twenty four members and guests of the New Milton Club attended the Bournemouth and District Table Tennis Association’s annual Presentation Evening at the Ocean View Hotel, Bournemouth and witnessed members picking up a multiplicity of awards, accolades and encomiums.

The awards were presented by Guest of Honour Harvey Webb, former National Events Manager for Table Tennis England and a former player in the Bournemouth and District League.

New Milton Club Secretary Bev Scott-Johns just had to be the proudest man in attendance as he led his G team up to collect their Div 3 championship trophies. It’s not very often that a full team is in attendance on the presentation evening but the G team (pictured below) had their full complement of Simon Golding, Simon Daish, Danny Williams, Clive Pitts, not forgetting captain Bev (in the middle), to revel in their spoils.

Bev trod a well-worn path up to the front to also collect trophies on behalf of fourteen year old wunderkind Kai Major who was unable to attend the event. In addition to helping his D team win the Times and Directory Handicap Plate Title, young Major had accrued runners-up trophies for the Bournemouth Handicap Singles and Junior Under 15 events in the annual tournaments. Major was also awarded the prestigious David Woodcock Trophy for Most Improved Player in the entire league.

The E team (pictured below) also turned up mob-handed to collect their Div 2 winners trophies, ie James Lewis, Gerard Redman, Frank Handy (captain), Andrew Daish and Peter Daish. The only player not in attendance was Bobo Jiang who works away and could only make two of the matches.

The only member of the D team to collect their Times and Directory Handicap Plate winners trophies was Chris Pusey as captain Terry Jenvey and Bob Fagan were also unable to attend.

Fourteen year old Matthew Daish had to make three trips up to the front to collect his Premier Individuals Trophy and the Junior Under 15 and Junior Under 18 winners trophies.

England Veteran Brian Bickell collected his Vet 60+ runner-up trophy then gingerly sped back to the front to pick up his Vet 70+ winners trophy. Bickell has been called up to play for the England Veterans Team in the Fifth International Championships for Veteran Societies in Leipzig on 17^th to 19^th July this year. The not-quite-so-old club chairman Steve Hemmings was also on hand to pick up his runner-up trophy for the Bournemouth Closed event.

It wasn’t all about the chaps however as Julie Smillie collected her Ladies Singles trophy then returned to the front with wheelchair-player Shaun Newcomb to pick up their Mixed Doubles winners trophies. Julie was accompanied on the night by proud husband Nigel and mum Pat who all won a prize in the raffle, much to the cries of “Fix!” from the other tables.

Also “mentioned in despatches” on the night was Club Treasurer and Press Secretary Malcolm Floyd who stepped down as League Results Secretary at the end of last season after eight years in post. In the Association’s newsletter, Chairman Phil Hadley said that Floyd’s contribution to the running of the league was immeasurable and helped enormously to the smooth running of the Association. Hadley also thanked Floyd for his contribution to the success of the newsletter.

Chairman Hadley also paid tribute to the New Milton K team who ended up at the foot of Div 5 this season having only won one of their matches. The accolade went “I would like to thank Miriam Mather, Stuart Burton, Richard Clampin, Andrew Stainton and Bill Collinge for sticking with us this season. Having won your second match of the season you might have expected to taste victory again! Nevertheless, you are as important to the Association as every other team. Without you and all the other players who are not due to receive a trophy or cup there would be no competition for the ones that have won something. So a sincere thanks to you”. A nice touch from the Chairman as it is usually only the winners who get the plaudits!

New Milton premier players Phil Daish-Handy, Matthew Daish and Brian Vibert also played for the Waterside team who were crowned as champions of Div 5 South in the British League.

Shaun Newcomb also got a mention for being nominated for and shortlisted to the final three for the Spinal Injuries Association’s Sport and Recreation Achievement Award for his work coaching disabled athletes. As a shortlisted nominee, Newcomb is invited to attend the “Rebuilding Lives” Awards Ceremony on 4^th June at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel.

All in all, a very good year for the New Milton Club and its players!