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Outrageous to describe our renowned club as 'infamous'
• WE have never been described in such a way in our lives (All smiles at opening of £1.7m boys club, Nov 30).
The people we served all knew exactly why we were there. One example is that a 60-year-old former Tonbridgian said she could not have continued working if she had not known her children were safe in Tonbridge After School Club.
We tried to meet every need that arose in the area including a Saturday night club and a Saturday morning girls' club for children under 10.
The club never really closed. If the common room was empty, sports activities, drama etc continued in other sections of the club and, to quote but a few of our achievements, we at one time had four football teams in North London League, two of which met each other in the cup final.
We had three world champions and five European champions in karate. One boy went into the Navy and was part of the British Athletics Hurdles Team. The Saturday morning boxing club for juniors was run by Pat Newman, a St Pancras Boxing Club Coach, and was described as one of the best boxing clubs in London. one boy was world champion in Korea. Camps, holidays at home and abroad were an annual event.
The youngsters knew they could depend on the staff of the Tonbridge Club and were cared for and looked after at all times by them. Where this remark infamous came from I do not know.
I also feel that the photograph in your paper should have been taken in front of Tonbridge and not the community
centre.
Unique best describes Tonbridge. Tom Hibbert, John Northeast, George Spragg and myself regarded Tonbridge Club as a way of life and not a job. We cared for and did our best for every child and young person in the area and are proud of the results. We all wish the YMCA success in their project and ask always that the young people come first.
SHEILA HIBBERT, MBE
Brittania Street, WC1
• I MUST take exception to your description of the Tonbridge Club as "infamous".
As the two "old boys" in your photo both work with young people, and one of them is a Camden councillor and both Tom and Sheila Hibbert received honours for their work, the club couldn't have been that bad, could it?
JOHN NORTHEAST
Mecklenburgh Street
WC1
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