The Hastings Winkle Club has now achieved an astonishing 122 year lifespan

I write to express grateful thanks on behalf of the Hastings Winkle Club for the excellent article by Steve Peak in Observer edition, July 8, ‘When the future Queen received Hastings Winkle’.

The article gives an interesting account of the Winkle Club’s origin and early history. Unlike the ‘Acorn Club’ which fizzled out without trace, the Winkle Club has now achieved an astonishing 122 year lifespan since its establishment in 1900.

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One very possible reason for this extraordinary longevity must surely be the Club’s quirky name which has something of the ‘naughty seaside postcard’ humour about it?

Whichever fisherman came up with the inspired name choice of the Hastings Winkle Club deserves a special place in our town’s colourful history.

Sadly the name of that inspired fisherman remains unknown.

Steve Peak’s article concludes with the brief sentence: ‘Today the Club supports a wide variety of worthy local causes’.

To elaborate briefly on that, recently our Club held its Donations’ Evening at which we were able to give away small grants to no less than 38 ‘local good causes’, despite a very much reduced number of fundraising events due to the pandemic.

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The Winkle Club’s good works continue and please support us during Old Town Carnival Week when we have our putting/crazy golf competition and the ancient game of ‘Winkle Tossing.’

All details of this fun-packed week are available in the programme. Enjoy!

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