ONE of Twyford’s oldest clubs will mark an historic centenary this month with a special dedication and renaming of its revamped hall.
The Twyford Men’s Club moved to its current location on Wargrave Road in 1919, after the building was donated by the then vicar.to the men of the village for their service in the First World War.
The club itself dates back to the 1880s when it had more than 100 members offering a variety of recreational services ranging from dominoes to boxing.
It was later renamed the Twyford Snooker Club and its current premises, a former Wesleyan Chapel, contains a memorial to those who returned from the war, while another to those who died can be found in the churchyard.
In recent years, a campaign was launched to fund repairs to the building, the memorial and the main hall table with an open day last Remembrance Sunday attracting huge interest.
Now, members have organised a commemoration and celebration service on Saturday, July 13 to mark the centenary year.
Club secretary Malcolm George said it would be a unique and memorable occasion: “The hall will be renamed the Twyford Memorial Hall.
“In the past five years, there has been a lot of fundraising to bring the hall back in full operation following a complete re-plastering and painting of the main hall. The heating system has been rebuilt with modern radiators and is much more responsive than the old system.”
Last November, a pub quiz in the Duke of Wellington raised a significant sum for the restoration Fund while on Remembrance Day itself, the club welcomed the Deputy Mayor of Twyford’s twin town, Cuincy, who unveiled a History Board, funded by the Polehampton Charities.
Donations also came from Twyford Parish Council, a private individual while Ruscombe Construction repairing and repainting the exterior.
“The commemoration will take place at 3pm and we invite people to attend,” added Malcolm.
“We are a friendly club opened to men and women in Twyford over the age of 65.
“Membership costs just £50 and each member has their own key which allows 24-hour access. We welcome anyone interested to contact us about membership.”
For more details, log on to www.twyfordsnooker.com
