Our occasional look at the activities and achievements of Members outside The Club focuses this month on David and Mandy Thomas.

Mandy is a retired geography teacher, having taught at both Guildford High School and the Royal Grammar School, where in addition to teaching duties, Mandy was also Head of Community Services.

David is also retired, following a career in international investment banking, working with the Bankers Trust and Deutsche Bank.

They have 2 Daughters, Charlotte and Natasha, many members of the Club may well remember Natasha from her time working at The Club between 2017 and 2019.

Club Members since 2010, David and Mandy now spend their well-earned retirement between England and Spain.

A couple of years ago, the pair started to play Lawn Green Bowls, an activity intended to occupy some of their leisure time and maintain general fitness. However, rather than a ‘pastime’ the decision to take up the sport has borne great dividends, with successes on the green being celebrated in both countries!

Indeed, we are so proud of their accomplishments that we thought we would share some particularly splendid news with Club Members.

Competing in Singles, Two-Woods, Pairs, Triples and Fours formats in both countries, the couple enjoyed a wonderful ‘home season’ in 2022. Having fought their way through the various qualifying rounds they reached the Mixed Pairs Finals at Royal Leamington Spa, where they represented Surrey.

Widely accepted as the ‘Wembley of Bowls’, Royal Leamington Spa is a venue that has eluded many much more experienced players than David and Mandy, and for them to have achieved an appearance in such a short time is a genuine triumph.

The pictures below show the pair proudly wearing their Surrey colours with just a few of the silver plates, cups, and glassware that they have picked up.

Well done to David and Mandy Thomas!