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10:37am Wednesday 30th April 2008
I HAD a call from Martin Lowry, pictured, who is retiring as secretary-manager of Bigbury in mid-May, to tell me he is setting himself up as a one-man business to help golf clubs in distress.
He is to become a "locum" - the man a club can call on to solve a short-term managerial crisis. And, despite living and working in Devon for the past 15 years, he is prepared to travel anywhere in the country.
He said: "There is a greater turnover of golf club secretaries these days and club committees can often find themselves in need of someone to take over in a temporary role.
"They can usually cope for a month or so but would welcome someone who could move in for two or three months on a short-term contract while they are waiting for their new man to arrive."
He was in catering before he changed direction to become secretary at Tiverton for five years before his move to Bigbury.
Lowry, who will be 65 in July and lives in the South Devon town of Yampton, said: "I want to fill this role for two or three years to keep my brain active and also pay off the mortgage."
Bigbury have taken the opportunity to restructure their management system. PGA professional Nigel Blenkarne, a former PGA board member, chairman and captain of the West Region PGA, is now running the club.
He signed up Tracy Loveys from Remedy Oak as his head professional.
A HISTORIAN is hoping the public can offer more information about the Swindon railway works for his latest book.
Celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott was faced with an emotional dilemma in a recent episode of the genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are? Having traced one line of his ancestry to great-great-great grandmother, Catherine Smith, born into slavery in 1831, he then discovered a shocking piece of evidence. A different branch of his family tree led to great-great-grandfather James Gordon Harriott, white man and slave owner.
In my previous article I mentioned that a pageant took place in 1925 to celebrate 100 years of the railway. The GWR had to mock up the North Star to show off its history. However, after the pageant there was much talk about saving some locos for future generations to enjoy.
PARTY time looms at Lawn Primary School this week, as preparations are made to mark the venue’s 50th birthday.
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