Local Face: Bob Green
Nowadays Bob Green likes nothing better than to relax with his many friends enjoying a quiet half of Guinness in “The Five Bells”, Weston Turville. However three years ago when Landlord David Wadey’s baby was Christened in St Mary’s, Weston Turville, David wanted to give something to the Church and one of his regulars, Bob Green ran a raffle which raised enough money for new prayer books and a bit left over for the new playgroup just starting up in the village. Once they had spotted Bob’s money making talent, the locals challenged him to raise £1000, enough to train a Guide Dog for the Blind.
It took him 11 weeks of raffles, dinners, discos and karaoke to raise that flirst £ 1 000. Like a dog with a bone, once Bob had started, he wouldn’t let go of this idea. The next £1000 was raised more quickly, and more quickly. The record was 4 weeks but on average it took about 7 weeks. He has now financed the training of 20 Guide Dogs for the Blind. Bob has found Mrs Susan Barber of Halton Village, the local RNIB Coordinator a wonderful source of inspiration who introduced him to the RNIB Sunshine School for 2-8 year olds in Northwood.
On November 30th, David drove Bob to Northwood with a cheque for £1,500. This is in addition to the £1,300 Bob took last June after Bob’s friends at “The George”, Wendover organised a sponsored walk (some of the Halton Apprentices chose to run the ten mile course). Now another need has been brought to Bob’s attention. Jonathan is a multiply handicapped, partially sighted little boy of five and a half years old who lives in Wendover. He started at the RNIB Sunshine House School in East Grinstead in September as a weekly boarder. In order to achieve his full potential, he needs special equipment, most urgently a “Gait Trainer”, which will give him his first opportunity to experience independent movement. The cost is approximately £600. If any readers of Wendover News would like to give to this excellent cause, the central collecting point is “The Five Bells” in Weston Turville.
If you want to know about Weston Turville, then Bob Green is your man. Born in Wing in January 1920 he came to Weston Turville at the tender age of ten years. He remembers the Old School and what it was like to live in a village without pavements or street lighting. He never found it a place “with nothing to do”. “The Five Bells” has always had a special place in Bob’s heart and that’s where he chose to celebrate his eighteenth birthday.
In 1941 he volunteered for the Royal Navy and served as an Anti Aircraft Gunner onboard HMS Kepple, Howe, Peacock and Loch Fynn. He served for five and a half years and was involved with 7 convoys to Russia during which time he was involved with the sinking of 2 U-Boats. In June 1988 he was presented at the Russian Embassy in Kensington with a Gold Medal to commemorate the 40th Anniversary in the defeat of fascism.
Bob came back home in January, 1946 and with his wife moved into a brand new Council House in 1949. He went into partnership with Raymond Wills and Alan Rawlings and they worked in the building trade all over Buckinghamshire and as far afield as Northampton. He was involved in the construction of 23 houses in Watermill Way off Bates Lane and the extension to “The Five Bells” which is now used for so many of his charity events.
If you go into “The Five Bells”, Weston Turville don’t be surprised if a quietly spoken gentleman insists on selling you a raffle ticket to win a meat prize from Kings Farm Shop or a ticket to one of the Sunday evening Charity Dinners. You will be joining that great local band of Bob Green fans and Bob would remind you that this could only have happened with the keen support of the Landlord, David Wadey.