11 Feb DAVE SYKES BECOMES LIFE MEMBER

At our recent AGM David Sykes was elected as a Life Member of Huddersfield Veterans Bowling Association. At a hastily convened Management Committee meeting whilst David was otherwise occupied we agreed to bestow this accolade on David at the end of proceedings and I had the honour of making the award.

I’ve known David personally since the early 2000’s when he managed the Netherton Con junior team and I held the position at Thongsbridge. I guess we both retired from those positions as we were too old to command respect from the kids taking up bowling at the time.

David then moved to Brockholes where he joined his son Paul, grandson Liam and daughter-in-law Yeolande and we often came across each other bowling in the Dearne & Don League. It wasn’t until I became General Secretary in 2020 that we worked together again.

In 2020 Dave had been the Competition Secretary for four years and during that year he became League Secretary after a management committee resignation. He continued in both roles when bowling resumed from the enforced covid break in 2021 and also into 2022.

2023 saw a Competition Secretary appointed but when Steve Lee indicated that he couldn’t undertake all the duties who should step into the breach but David Sykes. David has served our association since 2016 at which time he admits he didn’t know one end of a computer from the other but he’s picked up the required skills on Bowlsnet and under extremely trying circumstances.

This award is usually bestowed on retiring Presidents but has also been awarded to other dedicated servants of the association, I’m thinking particularly of Margaret Emerson and Trevor Blackburn.

When put to the vote at Council who were asked to say Aye and raise their hands there was a resounding chorus of Aye’s. David is indeed a worthy and popular recipient of this award.