Players, officials and friends of East Algarve Walking Football celebrated their sixth annual Christmas Dinner at the Xicken Piri Piri Restaurant near Tavira.
Well over a hundred guests sat down to a fine feast of festive fayre as club president Chris Wright welcomed everyone and thanked Tom French and Paul Shawe for organising the event.
Master of Ceremonies Jonathan Syed got proceedings underway with the presentation of commemorative bottles of wine to Roy McCrudden, Jeff Denman, Paul Shawe and Andy Smith.
A special presentation was made to Gordon Linford for his services to the club and on ‘hanging up his whistle’ after years of refereeing.
Jon Berrill’s party piece of Music Bingo got the festive fun underway as players cast their votes for the Zimmer Awards, walking football‘s equivalent of the Oscars!
EAWF 50+ Player of the Year went to Mark Wilson;
EAWF 60+ Player of the Year winner was Charlie Cousin;
Personality of the Year was presented to Stuart Meakin
The Imodium Award (the player who has ‘run/talked’ the most during the year) was awarded for the second year running to George Allen.
The prestigious President’s Award was presented to the Fox Family – Jake, Connor, Tanya & Mark – for their special support.
Crackers were pulled and paper hats donned as the entertainment got underway. Stuart Meakin’s take off of Bad Manners front man Buster Bloodvessel and his rendition of ‘Lip Up Fatty’ had the audience in stitches before George Allen gave a hilarious and irreverent monologue on the origins and development of walking football in the Algarve.
During the evening 230 euros was raised towards the club’s support for tackling diabetes which brings the total raised during November and December to nearly 700 euros.
As the midnight hour approached and with a full moon shining down on the happy revellers some players and their partners made their way home ready for another session of walking football in Tavira the following morning.
The more active members continued to disco until the early hours. Congratulations and a massive ‘thank you’ to one-and-all for your efforts in ensuring that the night was a rip-roaring success.
The team once again pulled together to ensure the evening followed in the tradition of EAWF events; well organised, great atmosphere, good food and excellent entertainment – it was a cracker of an evening! The social side and interaction between all groups makes our set-up unique and is testimony to our ongoing success.
Wishing you all and a very Merry Christmas, health & happiness in the New Year and may we all continue to march forward together for fun, fitness and friendship in 2020.