I have been Chairman of Tyne Boys' Club in Mariners Lane - Tynemouth since 1991 and like Percy Main Amateurs FC we had seen better days.   The decision was taken by the management committee that we would 'start again' and apply for funding from the then named National Lottery Charities Board (NLCB), it is now known as The Community Fund.

We had one bid a couple of years earlier rejected, this was to refurbish the Club and carry on as normal.   I proposed to the committee that we drop the "Boys' Club" title as it was totally out of date and we look to become a community building and still be involved with,  not just boys , but  people of all ages and gender.

The process took at least 12 months to prepare as we had to get fully costed building quotes/ planning permission/ re-negotiate a new lease from the Duke of Northumberland/ conduct research in the community to justify the project and lots more besides.   I also, with help from Sid Cope our President rewrote the Constitution of the organisation and had to get the same passed at an AGM and accepted by the Charities Commission.   The "old" Boys Club had enjoyed charitable status and obviously we had to keep within charitable law in respect of our bid.

If all this sounds a little complicated - IT WAS - what a nightmare.   I had to consult with architects and quantity surveyors and 'jobsworths' all over the place.   As we progressed along with our application the greater the detail we had to furnish to the NLCB to convince them that what we were trying to accomplish was a worthy cause as well as being "politically correct".

The figure that we arrived at was £388,235 for a total demolition of the old club and a new building to be put up in its' place.

On the 3rd March 1999 I was informed by the National Lottery Charities Board that our bid had been successful, we were awarded the amount in full,   £388,235.   Canny? or what?

I was sworn to secrecy until the end of the month and told no-one AT ALL !!!

Two weeks later the award was announced to the press and I had my 15 minutes of fame (who said Andy Warhol was a nutcase?)

As well as running my business and acting as secretary for Percy Main Amateurs FC, Chairing meeting after meeting and working on the bid I wasn't particularly busy, I thought everyone lived like this.

I must have misheard the bells - I thought it was music, but I was wrong.
It was the sound of ALARM BELLS!