The Chase Sailing Club 70th Anniversary Dinner and Dance
by Chris Anderson 7 Sep 2025 21:00 BST
6 September 2025
The Chase Sailing Club 70th Anniversary Dinner and Dance © CSC
On Saturday 6th September, The Chase Sailing Club came together to celebrate a very special
milestone - our 70th Anniversary Dinner and Dance at the Compass Suite in Aldridge. Members had
been looking forward to this event all year, and it turned out to be a night to remember.
To make time for the evening, only two races were held during the day instead of the usual three.
This gave everyone chance to swap sailing kit for formal clothes and get ready to celebrate 70 years
of sailing and friendship.
The Compass Suite looked wonderful thanks to the hard work of Trish Blackham, Grace Leszczynski,
and a group of helpers who started preparing the room from 3pm. One of the highlights was a big
photo display showing the history of the club, with pictures going all the way back to 1955, when the
club first set sail.
The evening began with a welcome speech from Commodore Chris Anderson. He then invited Steve
Turner to the front, where Steve was surprised to be awarded Honorary Life Membership of the club.
A moving tribute was read out, which brought a few tears to the room. After this, Trish and Grace
were thanked for all their efforts with flowers and a big round of applause.
Guests then enjoyed a delicious three-course meal, shared with 104 fellow members. The room was
filled with chatter, laughter, and plenty of wine and beer as stories and memories were swapped
across generations.
Entertainment came from the fantastic live band Absolute Party, who kept the dance floor busy all
night long. Members young and old joined in, dancing and celebrating together in true Chase Sailing
Club style.
As the night came to an end around midnight, everyone left with smiles on their faces and a real
sense of pride in the club's history and future.
The 70th Anniversary Dinner and Dance was a huge success - full of fun, friendship, and special
moments - a fitting way to mark such an important occasion in The Chase Sailing Club's story.