CALDICOT Male Voice Choir is well known for its charity fund raising through its concert appearances but last Saturday saw the choir’s Golf Society, ’The Birdie Boys’ and their friends undertake the ’Sharkbite Golf Challenge’ at the St Pierre Marriott Golf Resort near Chepstow in a special Golf Day.

The event, organised by choristers Leon Jones, Tony Griffiths and other choristers was held to raise funds for the Choir’s designated Charities for this year; Caldicot toddler Annalese Gosling, who suffers from the crippling, incurable disease Fibrodiplasia Ossifans Progressiva (FOP).

While trying to emulate the achievements of past winners on this course such as Jacklin, Woosnam, Langer, Ballasteros and Gallagher, nine teams of four started off from the clubhouse and hotel and after a marathon 5 mile walk they all managed to get back to the hotel by about 7.00pm.

The eventual winner of the event was a team from the Haywain, Caldicot, consisting of captain Haydn Dawe, Lewis Crook, Ryan Moore, and Nathan Hubbard.

Birdie Boys captain Alyn Dawe presented the intrepid four with a magnificent trophy, donated by The Birdie Boys golfers and Reliance Water Controls (Sharkbite). Second place was a team from Tata Steel, Llanwern represented by captain Tony Truman, Des Harrison, Nathan Ball and Dave Cutter and third place went to the Birdie Boys represented by Alyn Dawe, captain, Steve Davies, Andy McDonnell and Stuart Pay-Savage.

Following the fish and chip supper and the presentations of awards by Birdie Boys captain Alyn Dawe, a raffle with prizes including a digital camera and a four ball at Newport golf club raised £220 on the night and sponsorship of each of the 18 holes and pins raised over £940.

A fabulous day of golf was enjoyed by everyone in perfect weather conditions made even more worthwhile by knowing how much was raised for the two deserving causes. The Choir’s target is to raise £10,000 to share between both appeals and the Choir, its associated Cycle Club and the Birdie Boys are well on the way to achieving this by the end of the year.