Lucy: The Dog Who Inspired A Whole Generation

Some sixteen years or so ago, when my friend, Joseph Earl-Wright, great Editor-in-Chief, asked me if I would like to write for CARPology, little did I know what lay ahead for me and my faithful carp dog, Lucy. Joe and I were regularly on the phone early knockings discussing articles, and we received the occasional visit from him and Rob in the Cotswolds. Looking back, they were heady days, and we had a lot of fun along the way.

It’s very difficult for me to complete a narrative about Lucy and her time at CARPology. For over six years, we both appeared regularly in the magazine. I wrote a diary and technical pieces, and she enjoyed it, I am sure. On several occasions I was stopped by anglers in the street as they asked for her paw print on the latest mag. Lucy had become well known. She loved the notoriety, as invariably it meant food, and we all know what retrievers think of first in life!

I adopted Lucy when she was about fourteen months old, and a right handful she turned out to be. For a number of years, we had to feed the cat on the landing as she wanted to kill her! Soon, she settled down, and would sit patiently behind the rods, seemingly waiting for the alarms to sound. Lou loved giving a carp a good slobbery kiss before it was returned to its watery home, always apparently bemused by whence it came and where it went upon being returned. The only habit I could never break with Lucy was her obsession with swans. Visiting Andy’s one day, she felt a swan looked a good target for fun—little did she know! The resident cob gave her a good hiding and I was mortified as I watched her in the lake getting beaten up. She swam back and looked at me as if almost asking, “What was that all about, Dad? I just wanted to play.” Two weeks later the cob met his match. I won’t elaborate on that, suffice to say Lou had learned another lesson in the life of a carp dog!

I remember once, a small group of us fishing a local lake, Little Horseshoe. Lucy loved such occasions as she became our washing-up machine, cleaning the curry trays out after we had had our fill. She loved it. I, on the other hand, suffered the lingering aromas during the night when she curled up on my bedchair! Somehow, Joe and Rob had spoken with Alan and Kevin at Nash and had procured a Wide Boy bedchair. It meant that Lou and I would have a comfortable night’s sleep on the bank—I thank you all.

So before I move on and tell you about the legacy of Lucy, I will give you an insight into how loyal and trusting she was. She loved the bank and always behaved, and she never went swimming without first asking me if it was okay. Dave and I were fishing Andy’s, a beautiful and special lake close to home which Lucy knew like the back of her paw. This particular day, we returned from the shops, and Lou, as she often did, went on ahead of us. As we came into Shed Bay, we saw her with a hooklink and lead hanging out of her mouth. She had been firmly hooked in the tongue with a baited size 6 long shank, and I told her to sit as I opened her mouth. Fortunately, the hook was visible, and with no further ado, Dave extracted it, Lou sitting there as the painful process was undertaken. She then shook her head, wagged her tail and ran back to my swim. Later, for her party trick, she could tell if a boilie had a rig attached: a wise old carp dog learning just like wise old carp do.

I was blessed in having my faithful Lucy spend seven years with me, when out of the blue, I knew there was something amiss. You will understand if you have dogs; she just didn’t have the spring in her legs, and six weeks later, on 12 February, 2011, she had to be put to sleep. Suffering from terminal cancer, her eyes told me when she had had enough and she said farewell. She closed her eyes and let out a short pee, a stain on the carpet later reminding us of her—not that we needed reminding!

LUCY’S BOWL IS BORN

The reality is that the journey I am about to take you on (I do hope you’ll join me), would never have happened had it not been for the influential characters of Bob and Bonnie (Linda) Bonnar, who found Lucy for me; Lucy, of course; and also importantly, Joe. It’s a personal story of how Lou and I found each other. It’s a sad one, too. Had Joe not approached me and asked me to start writing again, Lucy would really have been just another carp dog. However, she gained many bankside friends who loved her company. Even my old friend, Martin Mumby, got to like her—he was a tad scared of dogs, LOL! In saying that, Lou could never understand why he would never share his breakfast with her!

Suddenly, my life had a massive void in it… Lucy was gone. No longer did I have her curling up under my desk when we started writing as the dawn chorus began, or see the ‘good night’ wag of her tail as she settled in for the night. The bivvy lingered of her canine odours, drinking bowls were in bags and her leads hung loosely with no one to take them for a walk anymore. I almost became a recluse, and the fishing rods were hung up to gather dust… it just wasn’t the same without my faithful Lou.

Then, one of my mates, Norfolk Bob, said it might be a nice idea if a few of us got together to celebrate Lucy’s life. I never really thought much about it, before Lewis Read suggested we hold a raffle to raise some money for charity, have a beer or three—as you do—and most importantly, have a laugh. Leading up to the event, my dear old friend and owner of D & J Sports, Dave Savage, donated a beautiful crystal-glass bowl, and to add to the finishing touches, another close friend, Roley, said he would etch a caricature of Lucy’s head on it. Lucy’s Bowl was created, and little did we know…

My recollections have faded with time, but I remember a small group of anglers meeting and greeting at Little Horseshoe Lake in South Cerney in early May 2011. Apologies if I have left anyone out, but if my ageing memory serves me correctly there were Ben and Dave Sykes, Andy Taylor, Chris and Ryan Boyda, Pete ‘the Painter’ Bond, Dave Benton, Nige Sharp, Lewis Read, John Elmer, Paul ‘Norfolk Bob’ Martin, Roley, Tom Phipps, Paul ‘Bidders’ Bidmead, Jamie Smith, Jason Smith, Malcolm Tuckwell and Phil Bunyan.

Well, it was simply organised chaos. Ade had organised a wonderful barbecue with his lovely wife, Sue, and we were all well fed and watered before we did the raffle. For reasons unknown, Bidders then started winning all of the prizes! Once sorted, though, everyone, it seemed, walked away with something generously donated to the event by the tackle industry. Pete Bond became the first winner of the etched bowl with three carp of 34lb 8oz, 14lb 13oz and 12lb 12oz. It was good angling by Pete, after he drew one of the most-favoured swims on the lake, and guess what? John Elmer was next door. Give two good anglers a good swim each and you know it’s on the cards that they will catch. John was runner-up, with Lewis Read third. We raised about £1,100, and this was matched by Ben’s company. So, what were we going to do with the proceeds from the first Lucy’s Bowl, as the event had become affectionately known?

I mentioned earlier that I had adopted Lucy. She had come to me via two close friends, Bonnie and Bob, who were actively involved with The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. It was a no-brainer; the money raised had to go to that charity, and here’s why…

CLOSE YOUR EYES FOR A MOMENT… WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF A BLIND PERSON

Every two hours, someone in the UK will become visually impaired, which will drastically changing the way in which they live. As anglers, we are very dependent upon our eyesight. It allows us to find the fish, cast a bait to them, tie rigs and enjoy our sport. Imagine for one moment, that being taken away. Each working guide dog you see in the street will cost in the region of £55,000 from its birth through to retirement, which relates to approximately eight years—and no, I haven’t got that figure wrong. The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association depends largely on donations from companies and individuals, to train and support each working dog, as they receive minimal aid from the Government.

The level of training these dogs receive is second to none. They are the eyes of a blind person and they provide the independence we so often take for granted. Due to the high level of expectation, there are instances when dogs don’t make the grade. Importantly, though, they are then placed in other working situations, often becoming disability assistance or buddy dogs, being matched with visually impaired children or young people who may, in the future, need a fully trained guide dog. Some puppies are also pooled for breeding, their characters and temperament being exceptional. 

Someone once asked me why guide dogs look so sad when they are harnessed and working, and the simple answer is that they are concentrating on their task in hand, and keeping their owners safe. In the grand scheme of things, our little get-together raised a drop in the ocean, given the life-service requirements of a working dog. 

HERE WE GO, HERE WE GO…

On the afternoon of 8 May, 2011, the end of the first Lucy’s Bowl saw Ben and I go and pick up my new puppy, Aqua Bramble, born on the last day of the season. Less than a year later, someone asked, “When’s Lucy’s Bowl going to be held?” I hadn’t thought about another Lucy’s Bowl. Never one to need a reason to get the lads together on the bank, though, plans were soon afoot—hopefully we could have an even better party! Thankfully, we were allowed Little Horseshoe Lake again, courtesy of Ade and Watermark Fisheries, and a cherry tree had been planted on the tiny coppiced spit looking down the lake. Lucy’s tree still stands, and it flourishes to this day in her memory. Fortunately, I had plenty of contacts within the industry, and once again these people generously provided us with loads of wonderful raffle prizes, with reels, rods and bivvies all up for grabs for a mere quid a square. As always, CARPology was there to bolster these prizes, and soon Lucy’s Bowl 2 arrived. We had all agreed that monies raised from the small entry fee and raffle sales would go to the local branch of The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, when Bob popped the question, “Have you ever thought about raising enough money to name a puppy for its first year of training?”

I enquired as to how much this would cost, and choked when Bob’s response was, “Five grand.” I laughed, and said that we’d just carry on as is.

Paul Bidmead drew the swim adjacent to where Pete had won the match from the previous year. He was on a good shout, as one of the largest fish in the venue often frequented the area. Paul is no slouch when it comes to carp fishing. He’d fished the notoriously difficult Yateley complex in its heyday, and all eyes were peeled as we wondered what the crafty sod would get up to. It didn’t take too long for him to put a pretty, thirty-plus mirror on the scales, but the game wasn’t up. Both Chris and Ryan Boyda were working like trojans. The youngsters were right up there then, and they are also two of the nicest guys I have had the pleasure to meet and fish with. 

Sunday arrived, and Paul became the second winner of Lucy’s Bowl, with Chris second and Ryan third. Their turn would come to hold the prestigious trophy, however; it was just a matter of time. Another good lump of money was raised for Guide Dogs for the Blind, but we were still a far cry from naming a pup.

NOW WHERE DO WE GO? A DILEMMA…

It’s true what they say: never take anything in life for granted. Was Lucy’s Bowl doomed ahead of its third year? People were asking about another bash, and whilst Little Horseshoe was ideal, it is quite a small venue and had also become fully booked. We needed a water quickly. Nige Sharp came to the rescue, saying that he would have a chat with Mark Fisher, owner of the Frimley complex. Mark gave us the thumbs up to hold the event on Pits 1 and 2, and these offered more space. 

Frimley is just a magical place, and people were buzzing about fishing a new and different venue. That changed for Dean Lloyd, though, when the back of his pristine JAG van met with a tree in the car park—his governor, surprisingly, was very understanding. As you can imagine, there was some banter about who would win. It was a much more open affair than on Little Horseshoe. The fish were evenly spread through both lakes and so it was anyone’s game. Mark and his bailiffs couldn’t do enough for us, and a good time was had by all. 

During this year, 2013, our first logo was created by Dean. Everyone received a Lucy’s Bowl hoody and things were becoming a little more professional. The barbecue was bigger, as was the raffle, for which we have become famous. I was fishing with my two old mates, John and Pete, and tactics couldn’t have been more different. John was doing what he does best, fishing at ultra-close range with baits presented by hand under a tree, whilst Pete was giving his swim a good dose of mixed particles, pellets and boilies.

On the opposite bank, Dave and Dean were being right crafty, fishing with only bags of liquid and a hookbait. In Dave’s case, this was a bait balanced using Solar Rock Foam, the best foam ever and sadly no longer available—bring it back Martin! The swim they were fishing was sandy silt, so the idea was that by using just liquids, the fish would dig around on the attractor, and with only the balanced bait available, it would go straight in as they hoovered around. It certainly worked; Dave won Lucy’s Bowl 3, closely followed again by… you’ve got it… the Boyda boys!

That year, a more substantial amount of money was raised, so we decided to hold it in the bank and see if we might achieve our dream of naming a puppy in 2014. Mark kindly offered the whole Frimley complex the following year, and in our naivety, we didn’t organise it as well as we could, or should have. You learn by your mistakes, as they say, and hands up, I got it wrong—a lesson learned and not forgotten. Nevertheless, 2014’s event was an incredible success. Ed Biscoe won the bowl and we donated enough money to be able to name a puppy. With Lucy, the golden Labrador-retriever cross, the legacy was born!

WELCOME LUCY THE PUP

Given the growth of Lucy’s Bowl, we had formed a small committee consisting of people who had been involved since day one. It had become necessary to discuss the event’s future, our aims and ambitions, and what we might be able to do for Guide Dogs for the Blind. My only proviso was that any pups we raised money for would be named after Lucy. They were golden Labrador-retriever cross bitches, just as Lou was. Everyone agreed, as did the charity. Suddenly, the drop in the ocean was beginning to grow, and larger sums were more viable and achievable. I’ll never forget my elation when I received the first photo of Lucy 1; she was beautiful. What we, a bunch of hairy carp anglers had achieved, sent a shiver down my spine. We should be proud, as she would become a life-changer…

I met Lucy with Barbara, her walker. She was a stunning dog, full of character and charm. I’ll never forget that day, and it somehow strengthened our resolve to create a whole litter of Lucys to go into training in the future. I am also convinced that when all the anglers met her, they realised just what they had achieved. They saw where the money raised had gone, and not, as is often the case, into a charity melting pot. Bring it on! Up the ante! We all agreed that we did indeed want an excuse to fish together, raise money and name puppies after Lucy, and so it began in earnest!

WRAYSBURY WELCOME

The last time I had been to Wraysbury was in the early ’90s, after Longfield had closed to be drained and netted. I never really settled there. It was totally different to the Longfield days of the ’80s, but a few of my old mates, including Johnny Allen and Del Poulton, stayed on, caught a few, and dodged the issues! So I looked forward to seeing the new Wraysbury, and to popping into the ‘Percy’ for a pint of Guinness to reminisce about the good old days. They say we should never go back, and that’s true. The Percy (Perseverance) had changed from the Longfield Drinking Team days, as had Wraysbury, but the latter had been for the better. It immediately hit you that South and North were extremely safe. You may well be wondering what on earth we were doing at Wraysbury. All will be revealed as Lucy’s Bowl changes course in 2015, a course which we have thankfully, never looked back on.

Upon arrival, we were met by that lovely gentleman of RK Leisure, head bailiff, Jim Roberts, along with Al White and Jamie Gold. Raphael Khalili, the owner, had kindly offered us the venue, and in fairness to all on the syndicate, they were really good, as the venue was closed for Lucy’s Bowl 5. The RK bailiffs worked relentlessly. They ferried anglers around the North Lake, gave them individual swim information and provided anything else they needed; what a great bunch they were—and are!

With all the anglers settled in for the first Lucy’s Bowl at Wraysbury, that night, some of the committee bivvied up in the double swim known as the Secret, next to the toilets. Be warned, if you ever fish there, the mosquitos are vicious, and I mean vicious. The next day, we all looked like teenagers with acne, given how badly we’d been bitten… apart that is, from Dave, who seems impervious to mozzies! The bats there are incredible, and you’d think they’d keep the wretched beasts under control—seems not!

Sitting in the swim having a brew, we soaked up the early morning sun well before the first planes from Heathrow took to the sky. A Delkim warbled. I looked across to Peg 1 as Neil White firmly bent into an angry Wraysbury carp. A proper old battle ensued and Neil’s knuckles got a tad battered on the back-wind before a beast of a common rolled over the net. He’d only gone and caught Jacko’s Common at 42 lb. What a result… in the frame and in the lead. It transpired that he’d also had a couple of stockies, which added to his tally. Virtually opposite him, newcomer to the event, Mark Shaw, was also playing a special carp, the mirror known as the Unknown One. At 34lb 12 oz it was a personal best to boot. The Wraysbury carp seemed to be both welcoming and forthcoming, and John Elmer wasn’t missing out on the action either. Neil, Mark and John were first, second and third respectively. It was an incredible weekend—thanks to everyone! We raised enough money to sponsor another pup, Lucy 2… slowly, the litter was beginning to grow!

THE COMMONS OF FARRIERS 

If I am honest, we all had such a great time at the Wraysbury complex, I quietly hoped we might be able to return. Due to bookings at the luxurious lodge, however, that was not to be, so once again I was on the hunt for a venue for Lucy’s Bowl, 2016. I was fishing with my old friend, Brian Sefton, who many of you will know as fishery manager of the Carp Society’s Horseshoe Lake, and instigator of obtaining Lake Daiwa, later to become known as Farriers, home of some exceptional English common carp. As we sat having a cup of tea, I mentioned to him that I was looking for somewhere to hold Lucy’s Bowl in 2016. “Well, why not Horseshoe or Farriers?” he said. Without further ado, Brian visited Miles to discuss the possibility of us having one of the Carp Society’s local venues. 

A couple of weeks elapsed before a knock on the door saw Brian arrive to give me the exciting news that the society’s directors were happy for us to hold the event at Farriers Lake. The Lucy’s Bowl committee were overwhelmed. What a stunning venue it was for everyone, so big thanks to The Carp Society. Invitations went out and the same old faces gathered on a sunny August Friday morning in the lake’s car park. Who’d have thought that five years down the line, we’d all be fishing Farriers? In fact, who’d have thought Lucy’s Bowl would still be going? The small committee had got the event off to a tee by now, so it became a case of just organising some food for the barbecue and keepsake trophies for the winning anglers. 

David and Judith Beddow were coming up with Lucy 2 on the Sunday. I had also discussed with Bob Bonnar whether it would be possible to have a visually impaired person there with a working dog, the idea being to see a puppy in training, and the end result. Fortunately, Oli and his dog, Yorkie, who were local in Cirencester, were free that weekend, so I decided to film an interview with them. I think the following will put into perspective the importance of guide dogs.

Oli was an English teacher, when out of the blue he was given the devastating news that he had a brain tumour. Oli survived the tumour after intensive treatment, but it left him blind… his tools of the trade had been taken away almost overnight. In his words, his world turned upside down and he became very depressed, living alone and depending upon others. Eventually, Oli was introduced to Yorkie, a wonderful male Labrador. His life suddenly changed as the doors of freedom were opened to him. As I sat talking to Oli, Yorkie patiently lying at his side, a mahoosive common rolled about thirty yards out in the lake.

“Did you see that, Oli?’ I said, “A cracking common just rolled.”

In his typically dry wit, he replied, “It would be a f***ing miracle if I had!”

We all laughed, realising, though, the significance of what we had both said. The following day, young Lucy 2 made herself known to a wise, working guide dog, Yorkie. I think it came home to everyone there that day, why we were all so keen to carry on with Lucy’s Bowl, as yet another Lucy, Lucy 3, joined the growing litter.

I nearly forgot… there were some very special carp caught. Jason Thomas had one of the rare Farriers mirrors, one known as Apple Slice. Chris Boyda finally stepped on to the top of the podium after banking some cracking Farriers fish, including a minted common of thirty-plus, and just pipping Neil White. That wonderful weekend in August had come and gone in the twinkling of an eye, and soon it would be time to think about Lucy’s Bowl 2017…

RETURN TO WRAYSBURY—OUR HOME?

I’d received a call from Jim Roberts, asking whether we would like to hold the 2017 event at Wraysbury. I didn’t need asking twice. Bosh! “Yes please. See you in August.” I cannot emphasise enough, just how welcome everyone at RK made us feel. They simply couldn’t do enough, and I thank you all! Credit to everyone who attended as well, a great bunch of anglers.

As Lucy’s Bowl grew in stature each year, so did the responsibilities of the trustees who had been appointed by this time, after we’d found more and more people wanted to give up their time and resources. The event had become accepted within the angling trade, and importantly, was heavily supported by it. It had become more than just a weekend event, with various fundraisers being held throughout the year. An example of these came from Matt Vidal of Hadlow College’s fisheries department. The students, as part of their course, had to organise a couple of fishing matches and, at the same time, a small raffle. They generously donated the proceeds to Lucy’s Bowl. This continues to this day, under the auspices of Hadlow’s James Wright. To give you some idea of its success, and of the enthusiasm of the students, in 2020 they presented us with a cheque for £1,500.

Such was the growing fame of the fundraising, I quite often got asked to do talks, and even a live presentation on Radio Gloucestershire. This I found (and find), uncomfortable, but it allows me to explain the significance of the Lucy’s Bowl story. Now, writing about the full ten-year journey of Lucy’s Bowl, including all of those late-night stories of friends having a drink and catching a few fish, might well turn into a small book, something I am sure my editor wouldn’t be too happy about, although probably expected. LOL!

So let’s fast forward to 2018, which was another success. At this juncture we had raised enough money to name and sponsor a total of seven puppies. We found ourselves back at Wraysbury, and once again, Chris Boyda stole the show. He and his brother Ryan were now the most successful Lucy’s Bowl anglers. 

We can’t leave 2018 without mentioning a very important letter from the owner of Lucy 2—who at this point had successfully passed her training. The letter reminded the trustees and everyone involved with Lucy’s Bowl of the importance of our fundraising. 

Dear Lucy, 

I’m not quite sure you realise just how much you have changed my life. You are the reason my world is expanding again. The saying ‘the world is your oyster; you just have to learn how to open the shell’ is certainly true, and you, my sweet girl, have helped me to do just that. 

Letter from Ceri (2018), guide dog owner of Lucy 2

THE BITTERSWEET YEARS 

2019 was a year I would never forget, and one which I suspect impacted on so many involved with Lucy’s Bowl. One Friday morning in January, Lin and I received a phone call from our son, Benjamin. He told us that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer. It was something a parent never wants to hear… you don’t, somehow, expect to outlive your own children. Ben had been pivotal in the success of Lucy’s Bowl from day one. He worked relentlessly and unselfishly in the background, ensuring that we became as professional and organised as we could be. Ben being Ben, thought he would, and could beat this dreadful disease, but alas it was not to be.

His brother David and I visited him not long after he had gone to stay in Sue Ryder’s Leckhampton Court Hospice. Amongst other things, we discussed Lucy’s Bowl. Ben still insisted that he remain involved, although we thought it best to cancel the 2019 event, given everything that was going on. We shall never forget that day, as rarely did Ben raise his voice to anyone… “Over my dead body are you going to cancel Lucy’s Bowl. It goes on regardless… I am not being used as an excuse!” We all looked at each other, and suffice to say, Ben’s wishes were respected. Lucy’s Bowl 2019 was actioned at what has become affectionately known as Lucy’s home: Wraysbury North and South Lakes.

Sadly, in July, Benjamin died of this horrendous illness, a mere thirty-six years old, married with a young daughter. Before he left us, the family and trustees asked him if they could have a Benjamin Sykes Memorial Cup for the largest fish caught at the event. He was uneasy about that, saying that he would prefer a twelve-inch gold… in his memory. You can imagine! Yet another part of the event unfolded and that year, as Ash Larman won both the Benjamin Sykes Memorial Cup and Lucy’s Bowl. He later said how proud he felt to be the first angler to have won the cup and bowl.

We had also decided that it would be nice to acknowledge Raphael and his hospitality, so we commissioned Jamie Smith to carve a special carp for him: none other than Mary. I know he was so touched when it was presented to him. It was a small gesture of our massive appreciation. 

The year was bittersweet as is so often the case in life, because by the end of it we had added another four puppies to the litter, having raised over £22,000. Its significance also came about as the trustees asked Sam, Ben’s wife, if they could name a puppy after him. She was so happy, that at the closing trustees’ meeting that year, I got asked by a representative from Guide Dogs for the Blind, and trustees, if I objected to the naming of Bens and Lucys being non-breed- or colour-specific. I felt honoured and embarrassed. Of course I didn’t. A whole new world had opened up with a legacy for a faithful dog, son and trustee.

After yet another successful event, held under the cloud of Covid restrictions, we had raised over £100,000 since our first small get-together at Little Horseshoe in 2011, and had named a total of sixteen Lucys and four Bens.

TENTH ANNIVERSARY IN THE MAKING 

Looking back at the last ten years, Lucy’s Bowl has grown and evolved to the extent that we now have a full-blown team of trustees, media guys and liaison people at The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. Even our new home at Wraysbury has expanded now, with us having access to more of the South Lake.

As many of you would have seen through our Facebook page, Les Bowers has become our auctioneer. He’s helped us raise a phenomenal amount of money through the donation of some extraordinary prizes, and the kindness and generosity of winning bidders. 

Once again, the weather was kind in August as a number of us arrived on Thursday afternoon to erect the marquees and signage, and to get everything prepared for the anglers coming the next day. The atmosphere became electric as the hours ticked by.

To mark our tenth year of raising money, we wanted to do something special for all the anglers attending, so with the generosity of RidgeMonkey, we obtained one hundred of their kettles. I mused as to whether I could talk my friend, Jamie Smith, into working some magic and engrave them, a tall ask. As any of you who know Jamie will tell you, he is incredibly artistic. “I’m not a Chinese conveyor belt!” he said, but after some convincing, he agreed, the last kettle being completed as Lewis Reed collected them on the Friday morning. I know the lads will treasure them.

The morning came, and we also respected that it was the day of Iain MacMillan’s celebration of life. Iain, we shall miss you.

With swims drawn, anglers were ferried to their homes for the weekend as the competition began. The North Lake seemed alive with carp. That soon changed as leads descended upon their heads, but not for long. First, Paul McCarthy had one from the North. Ash Bradbury was creaming it on the South, and even had us all excited when he phoned to say that he had a forty. John Flewin is still recovering from the long jaunt to the Round Point—it turned out to be a thirty! Later, Ash and John became joint winners of the Benjamin Sykes Memorial Cup, a first. Ian Russell, and Tony Bond who’d paid to fish with Ian over the weekend, were slowly clocking up the weights on the South. They later became winners of Raph’s Bowl 2021, the first anglers to beat Greg Ellis, who historically fished Mary’s Point.

In what seemed like a blink of the eye, we were all getting ready for the huge raffle. With over two hundred prizes generously donated by the angling trade and individuals, the raffle is now one of our major sources of income. 

Just when I thought we were finished, I had a somewhat unexpected surprise. The trustees had asked Craig Stannard to do an ink drawing of Lucy. It’s incredible and very poignant, as it was the last 16th June we fished together at Andy’s. For once in my life, I was speechless. I shed tears of sadness and happiness, thinking about how proud she would be of her amazing legacy. Thank you all to my friends, especially, of course, Craig.

With the raffle over, it was time to ‘chillax’ and enjoy the barbecue before everyone soon returned to their pegs to continue fishing. Sunday came and we had not told anyone the final sum we’d raised; it had to be a special tenth-anniversary surprise. 

My wife, along with Sam Sykes, came up to present the bowl and Ben’s memorial cup. Lin is the quiet backbone of Lucy’s Bowl. We were also joined by Bens and Lucys and their owners and trainers.

John McCarthy won Lucy’s Bowl, and Ian Russell and Tony Bond won Raph’s Bowl; well done all of you. Bob Bonnar and Miles Northwood of The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association were there to receive the cheque, a whopping £55,000! What a way to celebrate our tenth anniversary, life-changing or what? Thank you everyone who made this happen.

Believe it or not, trying to capture ten years of Lucy’s Bowl in a short article has been hard, and I’m sure those who have attended over the years have their own memories. 

Be happy, healthy and lucky.

Without wishing to seem like I’m singling out individuals, there are a number of people who need to be thanked especially for their long-term support of Lucy’s Bowl: Bob and Linda Bonnar, my family, John Flewin, Raphael of RK Leisure, Joe Wright, and the trustees of Lucy’s Bowl.

Without the support of the angling industry, our fundraising raffle would not exist, so a massive thank you to the following: Advanced Angling, Aller, Aqua Products, Angling Direct, Bayes Water Fishing, Beaverswood Limited, Blackaller Portraits, Blakes Baits, Carbon Baits, CarpLife, Carp Particles UK, the Carp Society, Carpers Den, CARPology, CC Moore, Cotswold Aquarius, Crafty Catcher, Crowborough Tackle, Custom Angling Solutions, Cygnet Tackle, D & J Sports, Dorking Angling Centre, Dynamite Baits, Elite Tackle, Essex Angling, F.A.F Customz, First Light Framing, Fortis, Fox International, Gardner Tackle, Hadlow College, Harrison, Hilton Valley Carp Fishery, Hinders, JAG, Jamie Smith, Jason Hayward, JRC, Korda, Korum, L.S Laser, Lavender Hall Fishery, Mad Baits, Mainline, Michael Hart, Monkey Climber, Munch Baits, NBrice Stainless, Nash, NG Fisheries, NX Baits, Proper Carp Baits, Rave’s Waves, RidgeMonkey, RK Leisure, Robertsons of Dagenham, Sandhurst Lake, Sharp Tackle, Shimano, Solar Tackle, Speero, Stannart, Stanwick Lakes, Steve Neville Stainless, Sticky Baits, Tackle Addicts, Tails Up Baits, The Tackle Box Kent, Carp Sub, The Tackle Den, Thinking Anglers, Tracker, Urban Baits, Waterside Fishery and Willow Park Fishery, and everyone else, apologies if I have missed your name.