A grand day out for Leighton's golfers

Members of the Plum Duffs, a group whose activities are managed by retired Leighton turf accountant Geoff Dimmock, meet for weekly competitions at the Plantation Road course – and each year raise thousands of pounds for worthy causes.

For the second time in five years, the golfers decided to support Willen Hospice, the Milton Keynes charity whose fund raising manager Dawn Clark was on Thursday presented with a cheque after 120 golfers took part in the golfing event.

Dawn told guests that it costs around £3.6m a year to run the hospice, with around 75 per cent of the required funding being raised by charitable contributions from local people and organisations.

Since the Plum Duffs was formed 16 years ago, they have raised around £55,000 with £25,000 having been donated in the last six years to Willen Hospice, Macmillan Nurses, Addenbrooke’s hospital, Clic Sargent and Keech Cottage.

Says organiser Geoff: “Local businesses are very generous in their support for our charity day and we very much appreciate their contributions to help people of all ages receive expert care and support in their hour of need.”

Out on the course, Nigel Chapman took top spot on countback from Nick Rathbone and Denis Leitch after all three finished with 40 points; George Darbyshire, Peter Ahmet and john Latimer finished with 39 points and David Hanley, Graham Avery, Mark Hammond and Terry Wright completed individual prize winning line-up with 38 points.

Joyce Young beat ladies vice captain Avril Simpson for the best female score of the day while there were nearest-the-pin prizes for Denis Elliott, Steve Shepherd, Denis Leitch and Roy Virjee.