Camberley 41 Club
A record dinner meeting, a Gala BBQ for nearly 100 guests raising some £1,000, and a Charity Concert to look forward to in October.
Editor — Mike Mawtus
An encouraging month for the club
Great to hear so many of you reacting very positively to the first issue of our new monthly Newsletter. We will therefore continue to provide a Newsletter every month. You can all contribute by sending ideas and articles to Mike Mawtus to publish.
In mid-July many of us attended the funeral of Mary Osborne. Thank you all for the support and fellowship you extended to Hugh.
The Dinner Meeting on 27th July gave me particular encouragement. Forty people attended, including a very welcome number of guests, prospective members and 41 Clubbers from local brother clubs. My special thanks to Himanshu Anil Shah, whose after-dinner presentation about Artificial Intelligence was applauded powerfully by all attendees. Professionalism, knowledge and confidence make for an excellent speaker.
On Saturday 1st August we had a great attendance of nearly 100 people at the Charity Gala BBQ. Many, many thanks to Robin Perry, Ganesh Gurung and all their helpers for their efforts to arrange this particularly successful event.
A record turnout for Artificial Intelligence
Himanshu Anil Shah guiding us through the basics of AI — and the principles of Responsible AI.
Growth engine or existential threat?
The Dinner Meeting on 27th July drew a record attendance of 39 people. Invite an accomplished speaker on a subject of high current interest and some controversy, advertise it widely, and the audience pours in — members brought guests and prospective members, and our local brother clubs supplied the rest.
Himanshu Anil Shah, a recently retired IBM technical expert, explained how AI works and its application for individual users, the public sector, businesses and large corporations. Is it a transformational force for growth and efficiency, or an existential threat to mankind? Anil assured us it is the former — but the very clear risks need to be intensely managed by providers, big business and governmental bodies.
Well done and considerable thanks to Anil. Only one member with sleepy eyes — or was he just thinking?
Brewery tour with Sandhurst and Yateley
On 3rd August, Sashi, John Devlin, Howard Ford and Mike Mawtus accepted Harry Bennett's invitation to attend the Sandhurst and Yateley 41 Club meeting at Bearwood Brewing in Wokingham. We had a private tour of the brewery — with tastings, of course — followed by a pizza supper.
The main reason we went was to support our brother club, but our secondary objective was to take the chance to speak with our 41 Club National President, Kelly Clarke, whom Harry had invited to attend.
The Gala BBQ raised around £1,000
The Gala BBQ Fundraiser on Saturday 1st August was a huge success. Organised by Sashi, Ganesh Gurung and Robin Perry, it was held at the Officers' Mess at Aldershot Army Garrison — helpful that Ganesh is Second in Command of the Garrison. Many thanks for allowing us to use the historic building and its wonderful gardens.
Nearly 100 people arrived at 12.30, staked their claims to the best seats, rushed to the bar, and settled down to music from the HQ Home Command Military Band — tantalised by the aromas drifting over from the meat sizzling on the Sri Lankan BBQ. Meanwhile Robin and Gill were busy selling raffle tickets and entries into the Heads or Tails competition.
Then it was time to eat: flavoured with Sri Lankan spices and marinades, the chicken, lamb and pork were delicious, as were the accompanying rice, potato salad and garlic bread. Well done, the caterers. The sun shone, people chatted happily, old friendships were rekindled and new friends were made.
The raffle
Many people took away winnings ranging from single malts to watering cans to vouchers for dinner at the Gurkha Palace Restaurant. Mike Mawtus had persuaded Longacres to donate two prizes — a decorative watering can and a solar-powered garden light. Amazingly Ann won the watering can, and Don Craig won the garden light. He doesn't have a garden, so he gave it to Ann. Hilarious.
Camberley Nepalese Gurkha Association
Around £1,000 (to be confirmed) was raised, to be donated towards the refurbishment of the Association's Meeting House. The Association brings together Gurkha and Nepalese families to celebrate their culture, support their community, and provide language classes and welfare guidance — so rather like 41 Club.
cnga.org.ukCharity Concert at The Login Lounge
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, so buy your tickets to avoid disappointment, and 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. In aid of The Besom, Surrey Heath Age Concern and Home-Start Surrey Heath.
- WhereThe Login Lounge, 34 Park Street, Camberley GU15 3PL
- Doors open7.00pm — seats taken by 7.30pm
- Tickets£18.00, book before 20 Oct 2026
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.
The year ahead
| Date | Event | Time | Venue | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Aug 2026 | Dinner and Games | 19:00 | CHGC | Board Game Night — M Franzkowiak |
| 28 Sep 2026 | Dinner and Speaker | 19:00 | CHGC | Patrick Mathe — The British Legion |
| 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 | TBA |
| 26 Apr 2027 | AGM | 19:00 | CHGC | Annual General Meeting |
24 August — Board Game Night
Camberley Heath Golf Club, 19:00 for 19:30. A traditional August games evening, with an assortment of well-known card and board games on offer, demanding old-fashioned skills and quick wits. Small prizes and damaged egos can be guaranteed.
- WhenMon 24 August, 19:00
- WhereCamberley Heath Golf Club
- StarterSesame Prawn Toast, Pickled Cucumber, Sweet & Sour Sauce
- MainBBQ Pork Rib Eye, Tomato & Chard Sweetcorn Salsa, Potato Salad
- RSVP by17 August
Dietary requests or guests should be notified by 17 August. Refunds cannot be made or apologies received after 21 August.
Good news this month
Great to see Mike Farmer at our last meeting and the BBQ — still very chirpy. Derek Overton and Pat Huggett also both came to the last meeting despite suffering recent falls. Warriors both.
Thankfully no other new news at this time.
John Carpenter
John, bravely first to volunteer for the spotlight.
I made my entrance in Bristol in 1948, no doubt already looking thoughtfully at the structural integrity of the cot. By the age of five I had achieved national-level greatness — or at least Bristol Hippodrome-level greatness — by winning a bicycle in a painting competition, presented by Archie Andrews and Peter Brough. A remarkable start, particularly as Archie was a ventriloquist's dummy, making him possibly the first celebrity I ever met who said very little without assistance.
After Blaise Junior School and Henbury Comprehensive, where I somehow collected 13 O Levels and 3 A Levels without causing the exam system to collapse, I went on to Sheffield University to study Civil and Structural Engineering. This proved useful, as it allowed me to spend a career making sure large and important things — power stations, grain-handling projects and chimneys — remained upright, which is generally considered good engineering and even better public relations.
My working life took me from Dungeness B Nuclear Power Station to Sidcup, the Isle of Grain, West Byfleet and projects further afield in the Middle East, South America and China. In other words, I travelled the world professionally, though mostly in search of concrete, steel, chimneys and meetings — the four horsemen of engineering excitement.
Outside work, I have devoted myself to the important business of sport, music, theatre and refreshments. I support Bristol Bears and Bristol City, follow rugby, cricket and golf, enjoy classical music and theatre, and maintain a balanced diet consisting of fish, beer, wine and whisky — though not necessarily in that order, and rarely all from the same plate.
I have also served in Round Table and 41 Club, where I have been Chairman often enough to suggest either great confidence in my abilities or a worrying shortage of volunteers. Either way, I have learned that if you attend enough meetings, laugh at enough jokes and avoid standing too close to the door when nominations are sought, you can accidentally acquire a distinguished record of service.
The people in charge
All is good with the finances.
Remember to book the Games Evening before 17th August. If the weather is good we may be able to utilise the newly refurbished terrace at Camberley Heath.
The next Region Golf Tournament has been booked for 11th May 2027 — unfortunately our Windlesham members (Paul Rozier, Richard Snook and Gerald Bullock) have a Seniors Away Trip at that time. John Carpenter has flagged the TITANIC exhibition at the Farnborough Exhibition Centre in Sept/Oct; tickets are available online and members are welcome to arrange a group date between themselves.
We were all delighted to hear Himanshu Anil Shah's presentation on AI at our last meeting — a great speaker who has offered to return next year. Coming up next is Patrick Mathe on the British Legion, and then our very own Ron Green on Glaciers.
Congratulations to Sashi, Ganesh and Robin Perry for organising the highly successful Charity BBQ. Next up is the Charity Evening at the LogIn Lounge on 28th October, which my Committee is busy organising.
Numbers attending our last couple of meetings and the Charity BBQ have been very encouraging. We have 3 prospective members awaiting Induction and we are well supported by our local brother 41 Clubs. 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.
The loss of our old website has not been all bad — it encouraged us to produce this monthly Newsletter, which has been well received. Additionally, with the help of Howard Ford's son Matthew, we are building and testing our own Camberley 41 Club website.
We met the National 41 Club President on 3rd August and expressed our displeasure at the unannounced disappearance of our own club website.
Manny Martins, our new Region 10 Counsellor, has launched a Region 10 Newsletter. View the first edition.