The Annual Dinner for Loughborough Boat Club was held at the clubhouse in Zouch to honour all of those who participate in the club, whether through racing, social organisation, coaching, boat and clubhouse repairs or simply just to get together with fellow rowers and friends.

Following a toast to the Queen by Club President Don Wix Esq. M.B.E. a toast to Loughborough Boat Club was proposed by Alan Perry, President of Derwent Rowing Club, where he extolled the virtues of local sister clubs supporting each other. A reply and presentations by Keith Hudson, Captain of Loughborough Boat Club was then made. Each year a handful of awards are handed out to the most deserving in the club who have earned their awards through hard work, perseverance or generosity.

The Martin Hewitt Memorial Trophy for land training was awarded to Dave McCaughan for the endless hours spent in the gym and on the ergos throughout the year and the Sports Council Trophy for the most promising junior went to Hannah Ferris, who has shown great promise throughout the year and for the dedication she has shown to training. The Willet Trophy for achievement also went to Hannah Ferris for taking home three separate wins at Bradford Regatta on the same day which is a tremendous feat for anyone let alone a junior. The Tinker Hayes Trophy for services to coxing was awarded to Mike Targett for the second year in a row, for his willingness to jump into any crew boat and help them out whenever necessary. The Jim Hambley ‘Miles Makes Champions’ Trophy went to Andrea Bundon for the sheer mileage put in training up and down the River Soar each week. The final Rowers’ Rower award is decided by the club members as a whole and is awarded to the person who has helped out, contributed, taken part in and generally been just a good egg in the club, and this year there were equal votes for couple Mike Targett and Jen Smith who have never failed to assist if anyone or anything required it.

To close the evening’s formalities we had a Toast to our Visitors proposed by Terry Higgins O.B.E., D.L., Vice President of Loughborough Boat Club.