TICKETS are selling fast for our Sporting Dinner, with special guest Bruce Grobbelaar.

Indeed, you are going to have to book yours very quickly as we are down to the final few left.

However, one person who has already ordered her ticket is Lesley Pyke. Lesley knew Bruce back in his days in Zimbabwe. We’ll let her take up the story.

“My husband and I, David, now live in Worlingham, near Beccles,” Lesley said.

“But Bruce and I go back many years, as he was a member of my golf club in Harare, Zimbabwe, the Warren Hills GC, during the time he was goalkeeper for Liverpool.

“Bruce used to regularly visit. He became the football coach for the national team. He was also the Patron for Special Olympics in Zimbabwe, and we held an annual fundraising golf day at our home club as well as other events.

“I am a glass engraver, and the golf club commissioned a tankard for me to engrave, which I presented to him.

“A few years ago, I invited Bruce to play in our Air Ambulance Golf Day at Halesworth Golf Club (where I have been a member since 2001 when I arrived in the country). He was in my fourball with my husband and another good friend of mine from Zimbabwe, Mark Brackley.

“That was the last time I saw Bruce. I’m so looking forward to seeing him again at Leiston.”

What a great story from Lesley, and what a small world.

PICTURED: Left to right: Bruce Grobbelaar, David King, Lesley Pyke and Mark Brackley, at Halesworth Golf Club. Photo: CONTRIBUTED