THE 75th anniversary of the Bangor Engineer and Trades Social Club is being celebrated in 2023.
The club was formed in 1948 in an old shop beside Robinson Cleavers in Main Street before moving to Lower Main Street and Queen’s Parade before finally locating at Grays Hill.
It is more than just a social club and has sections competing in local leagues in darts, snooker and bowls while other sections include golf, fishing and horse racing. There is also have a welfare committee who visit members when they are ill or in need.
Earlier this year the committee took a decision to install solar panels to assist with rising energy costs and to do the clubs bit for the environment.
“We have always had a rich history in assisting local charities over the years and have raised funds for the Royal Irish Regiment Benevolent Fund, K9 Search and Rescue NI, RNLI, Childrens Hospice, Cystic Fyrosis, NI Air Ambulance, McMillan Nurses, Marie Curie, Crohns and Colitis, Chest Heart and Stroke, Beyond The Battlefield, Sherry Campbell Foundation Various mental health charities and many more,” said a club spokesman.
“This year being a special anniversary we decided to target our celebrations over the year towards the Queen’s Foundation at The Patrick G Thompson Centre for Cancer Research, based at Belfast City Hospital, to assist this world renowned local facility.”
A sub committee of Robert Vannucci, Trevor McKee, Jonny Anderson, Noel McLarnon and Jim Stewart coordinated three fundraising cabarets which culminated in a gala dinner and cabaret in the Clandeboye Lodge earlier this month.
“We had the assistance of the sections within the club running competitions, ballots, sponsors and the artists who gave their time, we raised a grand total of £12,000 and we want to place on record our gratitude to all for their help,” said the spokesman.
