Coquetdale Round Table 443 celebrated its 50 th anniversary year with a special dinner in the Guest Hall at Alnwick Castle on Friday May 21 st 2004 .

225 guests representing twenty two Round Tables and twenty 41 Clubs from all over the UK and from as far away as Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis, were in attendance to help make the evening a very successful one. Special guests were two members of Unna 143 Round Table in Germany who are part of Coquetdale's Euromeeting group.

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Along with some informal socialising and many re-unions, the evening began with photographs on the impressive lawn, no sign of Harry Potter but some younger members were fancying a game of Quidditch! After welcoming Top Table in the traditional manner into the magnificent Guest Hall lead by local Northumbrian Piper, Louisa Kelly, grace was given by the Rt. Hon. Alan Beith MP. The following dinner was a re-creation of the original Charter meal: asparagus soup, cold Coquetdale salmon, grilled Yorkshire ham with seasonal vegetables (what happened to the chips?), peaches and cream, cheese & biscuits and coffee and was great value. To accompany the meal there was a slide show and videos of past Table events set against the backdrop of Coquetdale's superb actual round table, later to be 'borrowed' by Amble & Warkworth to encourage a return visit when they host the next Area 20 meeting in July.

After the meal the roll call was well received and completed by recognising Coquetdale members, past and present. Seventeen current members and twenty-eight former members were in attendance including founder member Bobby Edmondson who was presented with a special limited edition commemorative glass tankard, and Philip Muckle the son of a founder member.

Tables represented were: Huntingdon & District 410, Amble & Warkworth 296, Berwick-upon-Tweed 445, Morpeth 444, Unna 143, Derwentside 530, City of Sunderland 103, Durham Dunelm 1145, Gosforth 568, Whitley Bay & District 1274, Liverpool 8, Area 9, Kelso & District 799, Hexham 297, Alnwick & District 389, Stornoway & District 1065, City of Edinburgh 193, Hull & Humberside 560, Sandbach 201, Bridge of Allan & District 1102, Wick & District 975

41Clubs represented were: Hitchin, Ashington, Morpeth, Stratford-upon-Avon, Yarm, Haverhill & District, Dunelm, Gosforth, Heaton, Tynemouth, Whitley Bay, Redcar & District, Bedlinton, Cramlington, Houghton-le-Spring, Crook & Willlington, Guisborough, Whickham & District, Ponteland.

During the interval there was a short presentation from the NSW2004 Committee and the Glasgow Conference team were in attendance.

The formalities of the evening were co-ordinated by Toastmasters Peter Mordue and Rich Hurst and began with the Chairman's Handover with Kevin Dawson handing over the chain to Stuart Eaborn for the new Table year. Stuart's speech culminated in a toast to the guests and was interrupted by members of Coquetdale Ladies Circle who passed on their congratulations and best wishes for the future.

Amongst the many dignitaries on Top Table was The National President of Round Table, Adrian Gibbons who, as well as giving the toast to Coquetdale Round Table, inducted two new members and re-presented the newly framed original Charter document.

The Guest speaker for the evening was Ernie Coe, Chairman of Coquetdale Round Table in 1970-71 and a past Mayor of Morpeth, who kept everyone entertained with his witty tales of Northumberland and beyond.

The final formality of the evening consisted of the Chartering of a new 41Club for Coquetdale formed by 12 past members of Round Table and becoming part of the National Association of Ex-Tablers Clubs. National President Les Edwards, presented the inaugural Charter document and brand new chain of office to founder Chairman Rich Hurst.