Praise from the National President, a warm welcome to new member Don Craig, an evening of fun and games — and a Charity Concert selling fast.
Editor — Mike Mawtus
Last month at the Sandhurst and Yateley Beerfest I had the pleasure of meeting the National 41 Club President, Kelly Clarke. He was full of praise for Camberley 41 Club and fully supported our rebellion, 20+ years ago, when we started to invite like-minded fellows to join 41 Club even though they had not been in Round Table — at a time when it was still against National's rules to do so.
He has seen that we are very active and thriving, visible to the community to whom we present a very positive image of 41 Club. He fully understands that had we not taken the 'alternative' route, we may well not exist today. He will be attending our Dinner Meeting in March 2027, and will no doubt convey his thoughts to us in person.
At our Dinner Meeting on 24th August, I had the very great pleasure of inducting yet another new member to our Club. A very warm welcome to DON CRAIG.
Don has been a true man of the world, working variously in Global Business Development in Switzerland, Algeria, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Wales and the United Kingdom. He is a keen volunteer for charities and is currently working with Cancer Research and Frimley Park Hospital. He was our guest speaker three years ago, when he gave an eye-opening talk about the Masons.
Norvil McClurg, the National Comms and Communities Officer, was so impressed with our new Camberley 41 Club website that he has invited Mike Mawtus to join his committee of club members from across the UK, to support National's range of services in communicating with members and sister organisations and to plan and execute National's communications strategy.
The jars of sawdust — twenty hidden items, and food left to go cold.
Eighteen brave souls turned up for a games evening without a clue what was going to happen — and I suspect left very much in the same state of mind. But fun was had by all, which is the name of the game.
During an excellent two-course meal a jar of sawdust was placed on each table, with 20 items hidden inside. The challenge was to name them all. It was so compelling that many attendees let their food go cold as they turned the jars around and over, shaking them vigorously or gently to expose the contents.
Table 3 — Mike Mawtus, Andrew Bayley, Roger Holdaway, Pat Huggett and Peter Groves — won the box of chocolates, naming 14 of the 20 items correctly.
Once coffee had been served we got on with the main event: playing games. Three card games — Uno, Whot and "2, 2 and 2" — were chosen because children play them frequently, so Mike Franzkowiak reasoned they would be simple enough for a group of highly intelligent adults. Don't you believe it.
Rightly, Paul Sloane, Hugh Osborne, Sashi Mylvaganam, John Devlin, Mike Farmer and Jim Burns questioned one of the rules, which suggested the game went round in circles with no end in sight. Gladly Hugh did manage to finish, resulting in the duo of Hugh and Paul being declared overall winners of the evening.
Table 2 — Chris Bamford, Clive Eckett, Derek Olsen, Don Craig, John Bradford and Richard Snook — came a valiant third, but posed the best question of the evening: in Uno, Clive had the opportunity to make Don, our new member, pick up 12 cards (House Rules) or 2 cards (Original Rules). The evening threw up some interesting debates about games such as Mahjong, which has set rules but relies on house rules too. And so it was with ours — House Rules.
Thank you to everyone for entering the evening with such sportsmanship and willingness to play every game in good spirit.
A bottle of wine to the first person who not only answers these questions correctly, but also identifies where in the text of this newsletter the answers have been embedded.
"A huge THANK YOU to Club 41 Camberley for choosing Home-Start Surrey Heath as one of their three supported charities at a Music from The Movies fundraiser at the Login Lounge in Camberley. And of course, a big round of applause to Chris and all at Club 41 Camberley for organising such a successful and enjoyable event!"
We have also been sent Home-Start Surrey's Annual Impact Report, which details their work in our community and highlights the work of supporters like Camberley 41 Club — essential for their continued success.
Read the Annual Impact Report
Our next major fundraising event will be held at the LogIn Lounge on Wednesday 28th October 2026 — an evening of jazz, swing and upbeat music with the Sarah Jane Eveleigh Quartet and saxophonist Chris Olsen. The booking site is open and tickets are selling now, so best not to delay. Bring your family and friends.
Regulars at illustrious venues across the South East such as London's 606 Club, the Quartet perform songs from the Great American Songbook, including jazz and musical classics and hidden gems. Support is provided by local professional saxophonist Chris Olsen, who has performed with big bands and solo at prestigious venues such as Wimbledon. In aid of The Besom, Surrey Heath Age Concern and Home-Start Surrey Heath.
To dine at the concert you must book a table in advance by contacting hello@loginlounge.co.uk. Organised by volunteers of Camberley 41 Club.
| Date | Event | Time | Venue | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Sep 2026 | Open Day at the Tin Tabernacle | 10:00–16:00 | St Barbara's Church, Deepcut | Organise yourselves if interested |
| 19–20 Sep 2026 | Open Days at the Wind Tunnels | 10:00–16:00 | Farnborough Wind Tunnels | Free, no booking required |
| 28 Sep 2026 | Dinner and Speaker | 19:00 | CHGC | Patrick Mathe — The Royal British Legion |
| 22 Oct 2026 | Fleet 41 Club Charter Night | 18:00 | Brooklands | Names to John Devlin by 11 Sept |
| 26 Oct 2026 | Dinner and Speaker | 19:00 | CHGC | Our own Ron Green — The Ice Age and Glaciers |
| 28 Oct 2026 | Charity Concert | 19:00 | The Login Lounge | Fundraising Committee |
| 23 Nov 2026 | Joint with Ladies | 19:00 | CHGC | Entertainer |
| 12 Dec 2026 | Santa Float | 09:30 | The Meadows | C Bamford |
| 19 Dec 2026 | Santa Float | 09:30 | Waitrose Bagshot | C Bamford |
| 21 Dec 2026 | Dinner | 19:00 | CHGC | Quiz / Carols |
| 25 Jan 2027 | Dinner and Speaker | 19:00 | CHGC | Hugh Osborne — Falklands Postal Services Update |
| 22 Feb 2027 | Dinner and Speaker | 19:00 | CHGC | TBA |
| 22 Mar 2027 | Dinner and Speaker | 19:00 | CHGC | Kelly Clarke — 41 Club National President |
| 26 Apr 2027 | AGM | 19:00 | CHGC | Annual General Meeting |
Speaker: Patrick T. Mathe, Chairman of the Royal British Legion Camberley Branch
We will be taken on a fascinating and illustrated journey through over 105 years of local history. Discover how the Branch was founded in 1921 by Admiral Sir Frederick Tudor, its close links with the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and the local community, and how it has evolved from supporting First World War veterans to providing welfare, remembrance and community support for today's Armed Forces family.
The talk includes rare photographs, historical artefacts, and the remarkable story of one of Camberley's oldest community organisations.
Responses, payments and dietary requests to Derek Olsen by 21st September.
Fleet 41 Club has invited all members of Camberley 41 Club to join them for their Charter Night at Brooklands on Thursday 22nd October. A few of us attended their Sandhurst RMA evening last year.
An after-dinner speaker will cover the history of Brooklands, celebrating the 100-year anniversary of the first motor race. Cost for the charity event will be £77 (may change slightly).
John Devlin is happy to collect names to pass on to Fleet, and to facilitate car sharing or taxis. Deadline is 11th September.
St Barbara's Church at Deepcut — used in the Colin Firth film Kingsman — is holding an Open Day. I have tried to contact the Reverend about a separate private visit, so far without success, so you may want to put this in your diary.
Many of us who attended the visit I arranged thought it a terrific experience. There are two public open days — free, with no booking required. This fascinating part of UK aviation history will make anyone's weekend. Information only, please do not reply.
John Carpenter flagged the Titanic Exhibition at the Farnborough Exhibition Centre. Mike Mawtus, the Rushmers and the Huggetts are going on 24th October at 2.30pm.
Book tickets
Ron Green — this month's volunteer under the spotlight.
Born in Pontypridd on Christmas Eve 1946, Ronald C. Green arrived with impeccable timing: just late enough to risk having his birthday presents wrapped in Christmas paper forever. The truth is he was due on 1st January, but decided to come a week early to secure another set of Christmas presents.
The son of Clifford and Elsie, Ron grew up in a town celebrated for rugby, coal mining and its magnificent Grade I-listed stone bridge. This may explain his lifelong admiration for sound structures, strategic thinking and anything capable of surviving several centuries without a software update.
Ron attended Coedpenmaen Junior School before progressing to Pontypridd Boys Grammar, where he collected five A Levels, became Head Boy and captained the chess team. In other words, while his classmates were still deciding what to do at lunchtime, Ron was already managing the school and planning six moves ahead.
In 1965 he left Wales for Imperial College London, earning a BSc in Physics and a PhD in Computer Science. Among his contemporaries was Brian May, who later became Queen's legendary guitarist. Brian pursued rock stardom; Ron chose information technology — presumably because computer systems offered fewer costume changes and slightly more predictable feedback.
Ron began his professional career at BOC in 1972, serving as Systems Manager for 11 years. He then joined SmithKline Beecham as Director of IT, followed by a long tenure as IT Director at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals from 1993 until 2007.
Across 35 years, Ron rose from managing systems to directing entire IT operations. This was an era when computers occupied half a room, printers sensed fear and "switching it off and on again" had not yet become official technical doctrine. His career demanded intelligence, composure and the ability to explain complex technology to senior executives without once suggesting that the real problem might be sitting between the chair and the keyboard.
Ron shared his life with his late partner, Pauline, and is the proud father of Suzanne, Andrew and Julie.
Retirement has not dulled his competitive instincts. His interests include bridge, chess, walking, concerts and sport — an impressively balanced programme combining mental combat, physical exercise and sitting comfortably while other people perform. He joined 41 Club in 2025, bringing decades of experience, strategic insight and, one suspects, the ability to detect a poorly organised committee from several streets away.
Ron follows rugby, cricket and football, taking the sensible approach that supporting several sports greatly increases the chances of having something to complain about at the weekend. His musical tastes are classical, his palate eclectic and his preferred drink is wine — a combination suggesting a man equally at home discussing Beethoven, Bordeaux or whether the referee requires stronger spectacles.
His favourite holiday destination is Greece, where ancient ruins, good food and wine provide three excellent reasons to contemplate civilisation. He also has a special interest in the Ice Age, perhaps because after a career in IT he finds glaciers reassuringly fast-moving.
All is good with the finances.
Thanks to all the members who made the extra effort to make an August meeting possible, and for responding in such good time. A reminder that tickets for the Charity Concert have now been released to other local 41 Clubs and the charities, so if you plan to go please book your ticket soonest.
Coming up next is Patrick Mathe to speak about the British Legion. In October our very own Ron Green will fascinate us on the subject of Glaciers. Canada and Sweden may be mentioned but not the Sudan or Luxembourg.
The upcoming LogIn Lounge concert raises funds for The Besom, Home-Start Surrey Heath and Surrey Heath Age Concern — and the Login Lounge has very generously provided the venue entirely for free. Looking further ahead, we take our Father Christmas float to The Meadows on Saturday 12 December and to Waitrose Bagshot on Saturday 19 December, in support of the same three charities.
Welcome to our latest member, Don Craig. Paul Kendall has also submitted his application for membership — he has attended several meetings and social events and once treated us to a riveting presentation about the use of 3D printers by criminals and terrorists. But we cannot be complacent: please always have in mind that people you meet or already know may wish to attend our meetings, if only they were invited. Over to you all.
Mike Mawtus called Ian Valder recently. He sends his best wishes to all at Camberley 41 Club. It is a struggle for him to attend meetings now, but he hopes he may make the next one — and he will always appreciate a phone call and a chat from any of us.
We met the National 41 Club President on 3rd August, and he will be attending our March 2027 Dinner Meeting. We have also had significant contact with Norvil McClurg and Steve Tasker, and we expect Camberley 41 Club to be featured in the next National 41 Club Newsletter.
Our new Camberley 41 Club website, which hosts this newsletter, has been commended by National 41 Club.
"Well done on the planning, construction and execution of your new Camberley 41 Club website… You have constructed a website of considerable stature, integrity and elegance, one which communicates clearly and effectively and showcases a group which is professional, focussed and purposeful. This is an achievement of some magnitude and one which, as National Officer, I will visit regularly with interest and anticipation."
"I've had a look at the new Camberley website and it looks absolutely fantastic. It is much better than the old microsite."
Previously I asked members to send me anything interesting they had seen or done recently that other members may wish to know about. Pat Huggett has been to a U3A meeting about spotting, and dealing with, deep fakes. It is a very good guide to cyber-security, with helpful hints and tips about staying safe from attacks.
View the presentation