Sensational speech at ARS dinner

It's said to be the Audlem social event of the year, the annual gathering of ARS, the Audlem Ramblers Society, for dinner at The Lord Combermere, on Saturday.

Bookings had to close almost immediately they were announced as the fifty available places had been snapped up and a reserve list created. One keen member had even travelled from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and others from the wilds of Wybunbury and Hatherton.

As always, the highlight of the evening was the secretary's much awaited speech. Year after year, despite rising expectations of failure as the years roll by, Andy Davidson never fails to rise to the occasion.

2014 was no exception, and in a finally crafted performance, he managed to find just the word to encapsulate his oft-articulated feelings about the Festive Season.

It's rare for a speaker to achieve an even louder cheer at the conclusion of a speech as its commencement, but somehow Andy prevented all from sinking into that soporific stupor so often encountered at such events where the drinks flow as the speech goes on....and on... and on.

The dinner did, however, start on a more serious note when chair Christine Johnson asked all to remember that one stalwart of ARS had been lost tragically to the village this year with the sad and sudden death of May Hunter.

Later, such was the volume of conversation that when it came to the tapping of a glass to draw everyone's attention to the vote of thanks to Andy, Christine and the staff of The Lord Combermere, the glass being tapped, nay banged furiously, shattered and several drops of precious wine were lost.

The pub's kitchen and serving team, led expertly by Allan and Jo Brown, provided a splendid meal with service as smooth as anyone could wish for.

While Andy will doubtless resist, the clamour for a repeat performance was underway even before the Ramblers had rambled away after a supremely enjoyable evening.

These boots weren't made for walking

Nancy Sinatra would have retitled her famous 60s hit if ever she had met one young member of ARS.

Will Williams decided that a near twenty year-old pair of boots was perfect for the assault of The Wrekin and surrounding countryside, especially as he and two other ultra-fit stalwarts were aiming for a more extreme version of Saturday's 11-mile option.

As soon as his small group were well away from civilisation, the soles of his historic footwear started to separate from the rest of his boots. With frost and traces of snow on the ground, this was likely to be something of a problem. It was not the weather to go barefoot in the park.

His companions, in full Heath Robinson mode, managed to use the bandages from their first aid kit to tie all together, which stood up to a couple more miles of trekking.

We suspect the good citizens of Shropshire who saw the spectacle, with this being the 100th anniversary, thought it was a timely re-enactment to demonstrate the ravages of trench foot in 1914 in the first winter of World War 1.

Fortunately. the group managed to get back to base camp and, despite a slight hint of a limp, Will made it to ARS dinner that evening and had clearly lived to tell the tale.

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