Raffle ticket John celebrating his Silver Jubilee!
Spare a thought for John and Chris Purdy, who for many people as they enter the ground at College Way are the happy smiling faces who try to see them raffle tickets for the half-time draw at Bridgwater and Albion.
On Saturday afternoons ever since December 12th poor old John and Chris and their helper Sheila Horswell have had to sit at home and twiddle their thumbs because they haven’t had any spectators to sell their tickets too because every game has been called off.
John and Chris have become familiar faces about the place which is no surprise really because believe it or not they have been involved with ‘Bridgy’ for 25 years!
“Our son Dan was seven years old when we first got involved with the minis section of the club and he is coming up for 32 so I guess it is 25 years that we have been at ‘Bridgy’. Back then we were at the Broadway, so I have seen a few changes,” John said.
How did he first get involved?
“It’s a bit of a long story, but we had a cup match out at Glastonbury back in about 1985 and Arthur Butt wanted to get back from Tor quickly so I gave him a lift. From then on he often asked me to help him out with Supporters Club events and when he wanted to give up the Bingo and the raffle he asked me to help him out.”
Since then through John and Chris’ efforts the raffles have raised a substantial amount of money.
“I have been involved with the supporters club for more than 11 years now and I guess that over the years we have raised getting on for £70,000 towards the club,” John went on.
What keeps him going down to the club?
“Although I am not born and bred down here because I come from London originally I am a ‘Bridgy’ man and it’s my club. I have seen them through thick and thin and I will stick by them whatever happens. I just love the club, I like the atmosphere about the place and it’s like a family to me.”
He continued: “There is only a few of us down there and its just a pity that there aren’t a few more people who will volunteer to come along and help us to raise money for the club.”
When he came down to Somerset, John was a civil servant and worked for the Department of Employment in Bridgwater, Burnham, Street, Wells and went from one office to another as needed.
John went on: “I actually met my wife Chris in the Stepney office of the DOE and we moved down to ‘Bridgy’ when we first got married- 42 years ago!”
He concluded: “Lets just hope that the weather improves and we can get a game next weekend against Lydney.”
“They are all big games now for us between now and the end of the season so I hope that we will get a lot of supporters and hopefully we will sell lots of raffle tickets as well.”
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 09 February 2010 18:29 |
