David has been a tremendous help this past year, providing help & support to the committee. Cooking delicious food Tuesday evenings & the Xmas social, help during the cheese & wine event & Weldon cup, carrying out a lot of behind the scenes work on our data migration and court booking system for
Clubspark. A member of the club for just under 40 years, adult & junior, I asked him for his most memorable experiences during his time at PF:

  • Open Championship Tournament (1971) meeting Evonne Goolagong (aged 4)
  • Helping to serve afternoon tea at the club, when play would stop for 20 minutes
  • Aged 14 being invited by Jim Dean & Maurice Illman to play doubles at club sessions
  • Aged 15 playing matches for Pit Farm with Jim Bowyer
  • 1981 club coach Nicky Leslie invited me to play a set with Rick who turned out to be Rick Parfitt!
  • Shale courts and Derek hammering in the plastic lines with nails!

Between 1993-2005 David moved away due to work, joined a local tennis club but returned a
couple of times to run the front desk for the Open Junior Tournament held at Pit Farm .

In 2005 David re-joined the club, on asking why Pit Farm, he said “receiving such a friendly welcome back when I did drop in, made the decision for me”. On his return, Tuesday meals after social tennis was an established event (Mark Trundle), worked on a rota basis. Keeping the Tuesday cooking going is David’s tribute to Mark who is sadly no longer with us. For those of you who have not yet stayed for a meal on Tuesday evening, David cooks up a delicious, low-cost meal, its also a great social event (bar is open). I asked David what he loved about cooking: “my work schedule can be very engaging and mentally exhausting, I find cooking is hugely relaxing, good food does not have to be expensive; I never want those I feed to be left hungry and the cooking facilities at the club are perfect”.

Finally, to finish our interview I asked David what the best changes @ Pit Farm over the years were and what he most loves about the club:

  • Shale courts to the fabulous surface we have now – which suits my game
  • The clubhouse is worlds apart from the original
  • In the 70’s if your face did not fit you were not welcome, now it’s a very friendly
    environment. The social sessions are great, and Derek makes everyone welcome,
    including prospective new members
  • Technology for memberships and court bookings (rather than the old chalk board where
    names used to be rubbed off!)
  • There are so many things I love about Pit Farm: social sessions, competitions, social
    events, Paul our club coach but mostly the people who make every visit a pleasant
    experience. Pit Farm IS the place to be!
    David will enjoy free membership during 25/26 for his sterling work
    over the past year.