Award honours fallen comrade

Luigi receives his award from Committee members at the summer party

At our summer party last Saturday Luigi Sbaffi became the first recipient of the annual Fruity Hatfield-Peverel Award for Unabashed Excellence. Fruity (aka Michael Mansell) was a founder member of the NSC who sadly died too young last October and the award was created by Laurence Bennion in his honour. Owing to his illness, Fruity hadn't really attended events much in many years, so recently-joined members of the club won't know who he was, but I think that this trophy sums him up pretty well. As you can deduce, Fruity smoked roll-ups, which he would prepare and wield while telling you where you were going wrong in your worldview. Luigi was chosen as this year's recipient for his immaculate attire at all times and tireless attendance at vintage and Chappist social events—which he has been cramming in ahead of his unfortunate reposting next month back to Italy, where there is a dearth of such activities.

The award in detail