Just the trick...

By MHARI KELLY

CARD players at Dingle Recreation Centre in Winsford are still up to their usual tricks - 25 years on - since their first whist drive in 1973.

On Monday they celebrated the 25th anniversary of whist drives being held at the club.

Mr Jack Leng, former chief housing officer for Winsford Urban District Council, first introduced the card game as a way of using the club's premises during the evening.

The idea caught on and after 25 years games are still played enthusiastically every Monday evening from 7pm until 9.15pm.

Jack and his wife Peggy of Delamere Rise, Winsford, are still keen members of the weekly whist drive, although they have handed over the running of the group to Margaret Long.

Reminiscing about the opening night of the whist drive 25 years ago, Jack said: "That first night we charged members 6p, 5p for the drive and 1p for a cup of tea and 10 people turned up to play.

"But in 1974 local government re-organisation took place and Winsford Urban District Council ceased to exist.

"Leisure and other amenities went over to Vale Royal Borough Council and that widened our catchment area because originally the Dingle Centre was for Winsford residents only but now it was open to the whole of Vale Royal.

"It went like a bomb and we filled about 13 tables every week.

"However numbers have dropped since then which is a shame and now there are only about six tables.

"But it's great that the whist drives are surviving and we still have some of the original 10 members including a woman called Mary Jones who has helped keep the group together over the years."

The Dingle Recreation Centre is operated as a day centre by Vale Royal Borough Council for persons aged over 60. The centre is open from 10am until 4pm Monday to Friday.

In addition to the Monday evening whist drives there is a daily luncheon club and dances on Tuesday evenings.

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