Birchwood Park Golf Centre named national 'Community Club of the Year'

Birchwood Park Golf Centre, one of the UK s busiest public golf centres, was named Community Club of the Year at the prestigious Clubhouse Magazine Awards 2008 on September 22.

The national award, which recognises Birchwood Park s pioneering work to enable children to experience the health and social benefits of golf with free coaching, plus its efforts to tackle obesity with its Fat Factor competition at the Horizones Fitness Centre, coincides with the launch of its most ambitious charity campaign yet Pink October, which aims to raise £10,000 for Darent Valley Hospital s Cancer Fighting Fund.

For the entire month, 100 per cent of women s green fees will be donated to the fund. The golf course will features pink flags and tee markers and all staff will wear pink outfits for the month.

The main event will be on Friday October 31 when local primary school children and the Mayor of Dartford will be joined by Wonderbra model Tanya Rowe, who is herself fighting cancer, to release 2,000 sponsored pink balloons.

That evening there will also be a charity auction, including a signed Wayne Rooney football boot and Tottenham Hotspur shirt, plus George Michael tribute act and dinner.

Pink October was launched on October 2 with an event at Birchwood Park s Horizones Fitness Centre, where 11 instructors took a 2-hour Ultimate Class dressed in pink.

One of Horizones group fitness instructors, Emma Goodrich, is a cancer survivor and herself benefited from the care of Darent Valley Hospital. Emma said: From my own experience, I know it s easier to fight disease when you are fit and this is why I think Pink October is such a great idea. I would encourage as many people as possible to come along and get involved. We ll all be wearing pink and, who knows, I may even wear my pink wig.

On October 9 there will be a ladies; golf day. Twenty teams from around the county, each headed by different golf clubs lady captains, will take part. Stephen James BMW will showcase three themed cars at the event where free car washing will also be on offer to the competition entries.

Birchwood Park Golf Centre General Manager John Moran said: I m so proud of my staff and the way they work to benefit our community, not only through golf, health and fitness, but also by raising money for Darent Valley s Cancer Fighting Fund. The Community Club of the Year award is recognition for all their efforts and is a great incentive to make Pink October a massive success.

For more information, visit www.birchwoodparkgc.co.uk or call 01322 662038.