Stoke Gabriel Boating Association 40th Anniversary Dinner

A nautical cabaret during the Stoke Gabriel Boating Association Anniversary Dinner © Neil Millward

Forty and fun

Almost 90 members squeezed into the Village Hall for the SGBA’s social event of the year – their 40th Anniversary Dinner. Members were treated to a delicious three course meal and nautical cabaret. In a village renowned for its penchant for getting on the stage, the entertainment had been hotly anticipated, and didn’t disappoint. Steve Banks sang a selection from his Blue Jewel album Dart Songs – a tribute to the wonderful River Dart – following this with a specially written SGBA 40th Anniversary song which had the entire audience doing actions reminiscent of the Birdie Song to the tune of Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band!

The cabaret that followed began with Mole’s first outing in a rowing boat and the curtains then rose to the chorus singing the appropriate Rod Stewart standard and was followed by the HMS Pinafore patter song When I was a Lad, performed by SGBA Commodore Neil Millward in the period costume of an Admiral. An eclectic mix of nautical singing and dancing followed, with a class act by Sarah Cornish as Myrtle the Beautiful Mermaid and a rousing finale with Laura Kies as Christmas the ship’s cat and Charlie Gillmore as the ship’s Captain keeping the crew shipshape. A memorable evening, worthy of this thriving club.