Club Founder in 1979

From left to right:  David West, Dot, Mike Bett, Gary Preen (still a member today), Doug Beard & Wendy West

Dot and ?  winning the Mixed Doubles presented by Peter Matthews

Dot and Maria Wood winning the Ladies Doubles 2000

Dot and Wendy West

Dot and Wendy with the Ladies A team in more recent times

Dot loved her tennis and was a founder member of the Bovingdon & Flaunden Tennis Club which opened in 1979.  Dot had raised £1000 by organising fundraising events in Flaunden and, with a grant from Bovingdon Parish Council, the first two courts were built on Sports Association land in Green Lane.  We needed to form a tennis club with access available to the public, so we held a meeting in Bovingdon Memorial Hall which was very well attended.  Later a garden shed was donated and Dot arranged for it to be transported by her sons who brought it over from Belsize.  Dots love of sport, which included winning the Flaunden pancake race for many years and bowling, continued until recently when she was still playing a good game of tennis.  It was said that although she might not be able to run as fast as she could when she was younger, she still had the skill to place the ball so that she was a formidable opponent.    Sylvia McClelland

Dot was always a stalwart of the club, serving on the committee and helping at our maintenance days with gardening painting etc.She always baked lovely cakes for Finals day and team suppers,During her term as President she also raised £1000.00 organising an Auction of promises much needed when we were short of funds. She will be sadly missed as an all round tennis club member.    Jan Empson.

I would call my friend DASH because when she was at the net she would DASH from one side of the court or drop the ball just over the net Very sneaky !!!!! But mostly with success She was a good sport and competitive That is our Dot / Dash       Wendy West

I first met Dot at the beginning of the tennis club. She was in the throes of organising fund raising for the tennis club. One of the main events was a country and western evening which raised a lot of money for the club. We also organised bring and buy sales usually in Dots garden or mine, not sure which we enjoyed most making money for the club or drinking tea and eating cake!!  Dot was a formidable competitor and enjoyed her tennis very much. Dot and I had fun organising ladies friendlies with many local clubs. Dot will be sadly missed.    Viv Smith

We had a Ladies B team match when Dot was captain and it was thought they might be vegetarians.  Bovingdon has always been known for its teas and Dot's were always great as it was mostly home made.  This night it was a bit cool and Dot had made vegetable soup but it was rather brown.  It was delicious but one of the away team asked what was in it and Dot said all fresh veg grown in her garden plus a beef stock!!  They still ate it though!    Maureen Grant

I would never have joined the tennis club as I played for fun and never thought I would be good enough.  In 1987 my mother had died and I thought I would give it a go.  Dot asked me to partner her in a friendly match (this is pre-league tennis), away to the Welcome Foundation in Berkhamsted.  Dot and I found ourselves 0-5 down in the deciding rubber when Dot said "Don't give up Barry, go to the net more and we can still win".  We WON 7-5 and the match!   Barry Fitzgibbon

When we last played tennis before last autumn her mission was to get me to play bowls with her so that I could be ready to play as an extra if her team needed someone!  It was only when her balance went that she realised she probably would not be able to play Tennis again but she was still holding out for Bowls.

When I first met her when we were setting up the club she was still winning the parents race at the school sports day and also Pancake races! Dot loved sport and always seemed happy when she could encourage more to join in.      Gill Fisher

The first time I played against Dot.

On the first point of the first game, I hit a drop shot return.  She stopped the game and walked up to the next and said "Now you don't do drop shots to me because I'm too old!"  I had to smile- and I had to comply!     Dave Seddon