St. David's College Old Davideans Association

St David’s Hospice at West Shore, Llandudno, is a caring and very well respected local charitable organisation which delivers specialist end of life care for adult patients and their families. Over 75% of its income comes from private donations, and fundraising is therefore a constant for the Hospice’s continued success.  
On Wednesday July 5th, charmed with beautiful weather, a Charity Clay Pigeon shoot therefore took place at St David’s College. Organising the shoot itself was Old Davidean Olly Foulkes, of North Wales Simulated Game, which normally operates on the family farm near Eglwysbach, but had for the occasion decamped to the St David’s playing fields. 
There were ten different stands, each offering a different type of drive. There were 22 teams, each of four guns, mostly sponsored by local businesses. Particularly relevant to St David’s College was the team of AJC Construction from Abergele, alias Old Davidean Alex Chesworth, accompanied by Old Davidean Alex Lamb, a friend Rob Phillips, who was a competent shot, and one of the Alexs’ old teachers, who was not. Other Old Davideans taking part were Bonny Cunliffe (née Mould), Olly Seldon with Olivia, his wife, and Phil Williams, from way back in the 80’s. 
One particularly interesting ‘drive’ had nothing to do with clay pigeons at all, but involved a radio controlled model plane, which looked a bit like a Vulcan bomber of the 1950’s. As it flew past the guns it performed a sort of roll. Attached to its underside were explosive caps about an inch diameter. When one of the caps was hit, it exploded with a bang and a shower of sparks - very exciting. Points were awarded for the number of hits, and even more were awarded if the plane was actually shot down; the working parts in the fuselage were obviously armoured, while the shot simply passed harmlessly through the plane’s plastic wings. 
Conwy Land Rover was in attendance; their suite provided welcome hospitality, and transport from one stand to another in a fleet of shiny new vehicles.
When the shoot was over, there was a magnificent lunch on the top lawn, served by MM Catering of Kimnel Bay in the marquee  provided by Tents and Events, a business run by Old Davidean Ben Newall. There were lots of awards. Bonny Cunliffe was a member of the winning Ladies’ team and Alex Lamb won the Pool Shoot convincingly. Finally there was a Charity Auction, with many exciting prizes and generous payments. The day finished on a high note, everyone having enjoyed themselves tremendously and having raised the wonderful sum £34,000 in aid of such a worthy local cause - St David’s Hospice.
 

Simon Buckley.