Club News
September Lunch: Chairman, Andrew Carver, welcomed 22 members and speaker Andrzej Potocki. £44 was raised for the Chairman’s Charity, Cystic Fibrosis Trust. The raffle raised £31.
News of Members: Last meeting, Tony Farrell had a dental appointment (implant). James Dearlove had a fall (five steps wearing wrong glasses) and hurt his bad knee.
Birthdays in October: Andrew Carver, Philip Kent, John Morgan, Ian Payne, Roy Solomons.
Outings/Events: Skittles match with Sanderstead and Riddlesdown was on 23rd September – see page 4 for results.
Terry is planning a visit to ‘The Mount Vineyard’ near Sevenoaks in October. Please Contact Terry Ribbens on tribbs42@gmail.com. Terry Ribbens for ideas on outings.
Speaker today: our own David Carpenter on ‘Helicopters’.
6th November 2025: Andy Stuart ‘Tall Tales or Real History?’.
Welfare Officer: Please contact Tony Farrell if anyone knows of a member in difficulty: tonyfarrell1953@gmail.com
Lunch changes by 10.30am the prior Tuesday to chris@moniz.co.uk T: 020 8660 6063. Please email vincent@fosdike.com with articles for the Newsletter.
September Speaker: Andrzej Potocki ‘Roald Dahl’
Roald Dahl (1916 – 1990) was a British author of popular children’s literature and short stories, a poet, screenwriter and a wartime fighter ace. Children love his tales – he’s their hero. But Roald could be arrogant and rude to adults. He refused an OBE because he wanted a knighthood. Roald’s parents were Norwegian – Andrzej’s (left) Polish but both born in the UK. They were near neighbours in Great Missenden.
Roald joined the RAF but was eventually shot down – broken jaw and ribs and blind for three weeks. He was offered a job in MI6 as a spy and posted to Washington. There he wrote for an American magazine and for TV. He stayed in NY, met several famous people who all influenced him in some way. He wrote notes for CS Forrester which became a book – Ian Flemming (good buddies) – Walt Disney (almost made a film together but Roald wouldn’t change the name of a character).
Roald’s wife, Patricia Neal was American – quit acting school at 18, went for an audition and won a Tony award within three years. They met in New York. Roald pestered her until she said yes (1953). At the end of the war, they settled in Amersham (later moving to Great Missenden) – Pat working in Pinewood studios. Roald met Sir Dirk Bogarde who lived locally – not only a writer/actor but also a good painter. Roald was interested in art.
He chatted to local gypsies then called his home ‘Gypsy House’ and bought a caravan for his children to live in. Everything was material for a book. He was friends for life with local builder, Willy Saunders – wrote a book about him – ‘The Big Friendly Giant’. He always wrote on yellow paper (his favourite colour) and always at the same desk (made by a friend) sitting in his mother’s armchair which supported his back (RAF injury).
Pat suffered a stroke and Roald devised his own way of looking after her with friend Valerie Eaton Griffith. Pushing her six hours a day, getting her to talk to people and keeping her active. Against normal procedure but it was accepted as good practice due to Roald’s success.
Roald would tell stories to children and their responses influenced his writing – ‘James and the Giant Peach’, ‘Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory’, ‘Matilda’. He loved chocolate – Cadbury had used his school to test products. He had made a giant silver ball from chocolate wrapping paper.Roald always wrote using the ‘present participle’ picked up from his housekeeper. The strange words for his ‘Giant’ came from by his wife, Pat, when ill. There were so many influences on his stories from whoever he met. He received 2000 letters per week, did lots of good despite his character and when he visited schools, he would always encourage children to read – and maybe to become a famous author like himself.
2025 Skittles Match with Sanderstead & Riddlesdown ProbusAndrew Carver
On the 23rd September, the annual skittles event was held at the British Legion Club in Limpsfield, – from Coulsdon and Purley there were six members, five ladies, and one guest and seventeen from the Sanderstead and Riddlesdown Probus. We were split into four mixed teams of seven (plus one not scoring).
Before an excellent buffet lunch we each played two lanes, bowling three balls each, then the food was served and we were able to rest after our energetic games. Half an hour later we played the final end, but this time finding it a little harder to bend!!
Team “D” were the winners, each receiving a certificate and a bar of chocolate, Mike from Sanderstead and Riddlesdown scored the most skittles knocked down, winning himself the cup, certificate, and a small bottle of champagne. I would just like to say that in the past four years, we have held the cup, so felt it really was time for a member of Sanderstead and Riddlesdown to have possession of it. It will give us a greater incentive to win it back in 2026.
Many thanks to Paul Ferrznolo of S&R Probus and Terry for organising this very enjoyable event.
