Youth give in to charity at the Croak and Rhyme event

More than 120 golfers turned out in force to support the Charlie’s Trophy event at Dainton Park Golf Club, Ipplepen, raising more than £12,000 for various charities.

The charity golf day named after Firewatch CEO Martin Smith’s three and a half year old grandson Charlie Lawlor, was to raise awareness of Rubinstein – Taybi Syndrome (RTS).

The syndrome affects all areas of development.

The RTS support group will be the main beneficiary and will help fund the support groups bi-annual weekend meetings, where families with RTS members get together to both support each other and assist researchers in understanding the syndrome which effects just 1 in 125,000 babies born in the UK.

This year the beneficiaries was expanded , enabling organiser Martin Smith to make donation’s to local charities - The Action for Children Torbay Centre, Children’s Hospice South West, The Alice Cross Centre at Teignmouth, Chicks Charity , Wooden Spoon and the Newton Abbot Rotary Club.

“When we raised £10,240 last year I thought that was amazing but to raise nearly £2,000 more, was nothing more than outstanding,” said Martin.

“It’s particularly pleasing as it enabled us to give donations to local charities as well as the RTS support group; I want to thank the sponsors and many businesses and individuals who made the monies raised possible, particularly System6 Kitchens.Though the highlight for me was to see little Charlie walking around the clubhouse, something the family have been hoping for, for a very long while.”

With the golf day taking part on July 4 there was an American theme throughout.

The day included both a pairs and team stableford competition plus more than individual prizes up for grabs.

The main sponsor System6 Kitchens of Exeter put up a £10,000 kitchen for a hole-in-one, embracing the days theme Uncle Sam was in attendance, supervising the various events including, a putting competition ,Baseball & Texas Holdem Poker games.

Renowned trick shot golf maestro David Edwards performed and table magician Peter Baffles, entertained the golfers during their American themed BBQ.

On the course local professionals Rich Woods and Billy Hemstock helped the golfers by playing a shot or two for them.

The mixed weather did not deter the golfers who produced some credible scores, the pair’s winners with 72 points were Peter Knapp and Steve Seymour, who were guests of the Jelf Group, followed one shot behind by James and Rich Harbron representing Darnell’s and in third were Ryan Pope and Alistair Ross representing Genting Casino.

The winners of Charlie’s Trophy were the Jelf Group team – Peter Knapman, Steve Seymour, Darren Green and Terry Lee scoring 135 points, second were Darnell’s and third the team from Wollen Michelmore. Some interesting individual prizes were contested for including nearest the Bud (Budweiser) nearest the Jack (Jack Daniel) and nearest to Mickey Mouse, all with appropriate prizes in keeping with the name.

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The comeback kings

There might not be a shelf full on the etiquette of shaking hands, or what you should never say in a job interview, or how to stop whining and rise up the corporate ladder, but several LinkedIn Influencers weighed in this week on exactly those things — what not to do if you want to get ahead.

Here’s what some of them had to say.

James Caan, chief executive officer at Hamilton Bradshaw Group

We all know that “setting yourself apart from the crowd is vital when you are looking for that new job,” wrote Caan in his post What Not to Say in a Job Interview. But do we know what we should never say?

There are “very common… phrases which you should try to avoid” wrote Caan. Among them:

“’I don’t know.’ The best way of dealing with the tough questions is to do your homework. The importance of research cannot be understated — you should know about the company, and be prepared for anything you will be asked about your own CV,” explained Caan. “Of course if there is a question which you are not expected to know the answer to, or if you are genuinely stuck, don't make things up or try to bluff your way through. Move back into your comfort zone, relate the question back to something you do know and take on board any new information you are given.”

“’I dislike my current company.’ You never want to turn the tone of the interview negative, even if you may be having a bad experience at your current job,” Caan wrote. “All this does is make you seem like somebody who is difficult to manage.”

Bernard Marr, chief executive officer at Advanced Performance Institute

What’s the first thing you do when you meet someone new through work? That’s right — shake hands. The handshake is critical in business. “Getting it wrong can create awkward moments and distract from making a good first impression,” wrote Marr in his post Six Ways NOT to Shake Hands.

Among the worst-offending handshake mistakes, Marr cited:

“The sweaty slip. Some people have a natural tendency to get sweaty hands and many get them when they are nervous, that’s just normal,” he wrote. “It can make shaking hands tricky in stressful situations such as job interviews. However, I think there is no excuse for a wet handshake.”

“The limp fish. Not gripping the other person’s hand firmly enough and then shaking from your wrist is a big mistake,” Marr wrote. The message it sends, he wrote: “‘I am not confident’ or ‘I am a push-over’.”

“The avoider. “Someone that doesn’t make eye contact when they shake your hand or someone that pulls away too quickly… signals to me that they are either under-confident, very shy, or they don’t really want to meet me or shake my hand,” cautioned Marr.

Scott Case, co-founder and chief executive officer at Main Street Genome

In many careers, the 10-year mark can be a moment when a common theme emerges: “You’re in your early to mid-30’s. You have a good job, a nice life at home, but something is missing. Nothing is wrong, but nothing is awesome,” wrote Case in his post Stop Whining.

“You are ‘good enough’ at work… but you are not progressing,” wrote Case. “Why aren’t you moving forward? Why aren’t you doing what you want to do?”

There are four excuses Case hears regularly. Among the whining to leave behind:

“’I’m too busy.’ Guess what, we’re all busy,” Case wrote. “In the end, you will regret all of the opportunities you passed on. If a chance is presented, then change your schedule and make the time. It’s that simple.”

“’I’m lazy.’ I’ve never had anyone give me this excuse, but for some people it’s an underlying issue,” explained Case. “It’s time to stop being so lazy. Nothing is going to fall into your lap. Create opportunity for yourself.”

“’It’s not the right time.’ There will never be a right time. There is never a good time to get married, quit your job, buy a house, or start a company. Everyone is given the same amount of time in a day, but the manner in which you choose to spend this time is entirely up to you,” wrote Case. “Now is as good a time as any.”

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Discover New England markets specifically to the United Kingdom

This service suits those on a budget (learn about the high-speed Acela below), but it still makes the trip from Boston to New York in under four hours. Headed south from Boston, you can get off and explore historic Providence, the capital of Rhode Island, with its trendy restaurants — there’s even a trolley to give you a narrated tour of the city. From here, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority serves many communities, such as Newport, famous for its Gilded Age mansions, summer music festivals and more. Or, stop for a stay at a romantic inn in Westerly to explore the coastline.

Further south, stop off at Mystic, Connecticut, with Mystic Seaport and the popular Mystic Aquarium; and New Haven, Connecticut, home of Yale University with its interesting museums, art galleries and architecture.


ISLAND CONNECTIONS
Also south of Boston are Amtrak train stops where you can easily hop a ferry for an island adventure:

New London, Connecticut: the station is a 10-minute walk from the Block Island Express Ferry port, with crossings to tiny but spectacularly beautiful Block Island (Rhode Island).
West Kingston, Rhode Island: connect to the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. In season, the Amtrak shuttle service takes you from the station to the Vineyard Fast Ferry.

In New England’s gateway city of Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, there’s much to see. As well as Amtrak services, it is also the hub of an excellent local and regional public transport network. So, stay here and take easy day trips to nearby historic destinations, such as Salem, Concord and Lexington in Massachusetts, as well as Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

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