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Sanderstead
Dramatic Club

The Vernon Workman Cup.

Awarded to a person or persons who have made a significant contribution to the Club. Named after Vernon Workman, it was first awarded in 1957.

This year’s award

2026

The Hut Roof Team

Seven members, one vital contribution.

This year the award goes to not one person, but to a group of people who made not only a significant but also a vital contribution to the club. I am referring to those I would call ‘The Hut Roof Team’ who stepped up and fitted some temporary roof covering to our ‘scenery store’ a.k.a. the Hut, until our insurers came up with the cash, and then re-roofed one side of the hut and later carried out repairs to the other side.

Without this work, we would have lost a lot of our pantomime scenery which, although it has a minimal intrinsic value, has a huge value to us and to re-build it would have put an additional burden onto our members and of course our finances.

I am sure you will agree that all this work deserves recognition and so it is with great pleasure that I am awarding the Vernon Workman Cup to the ‘Hut Roof Team’ being Andy Nicholson, Dave Sawyer, Robin Reid, Scott Negus, Bobs Roberts, Richard Seagroatt and John Desbottes.

The Hut Roof Team

Previous winners

  • 2023

    Tim Crump

    Scenery, lighting and sound for the pantomime.

    This year, there can be no doubt as to the recipient.

    Without this person, we couldn’t have put on the pantomime, and that is by no means an exaggeration as he was not only a regular at the Hut working on the scenery, but also single handed, rigged, coloured and focused the lighting as well as doing his usual tasks of setting up and running all the sound equipment.

    I am of course referring to Tim. To say that I am in awe of all that he does and the speed that he does it would be an understatement and so it is with great pleasure that I award the Vernon Workman Cup to Tim Crump.

    John Desbottes, Chairman

  • 2022

    Ernie McGirr

    On stage, and at the Hut working on the scenery.

    This year, the recipient is Ernie McGirr, who over the last season, has put a lot of time and effort into the Club both on stage and regularly at the Hut working on the pantomime scenery and continues to do so.

    What more commitment could one ask?

    John Desbottes, Chairman

  • 2021

    Catherine Roberts and Andrew Roberts

    A long service award for our wardrobe.

    The Vernon Workman Cup is usually awarded for a member’s contribution to the Club over the last year, but obviously this is not possible under the current circumstance. So this year, it is more in the nature of a long service award.

    The Cup was first awarded in 1957 making it 64 years old so it is fitting that this year, we recognise the contribution that wardrobe makes to a show as, co-incidentally, the cup is the same age as some of our pantomime costumes!

    But seriously, Catherine works wonders with a very small budget and is of course aided and abetted by Bobs, the foam rubber king. They commit a huge amount of time and also much of their house into costuming pantomime and so I am more than pleased to award the Vernon Workman Cup to Catherine and Bobs Roberts.

    John Desbottes, Chairman

  • 2020

    Ian Watson

    Memorable pantomime appearances, and years looking after our accounts.

    Ian has recently moved out of the area having supported the Club with many a memorable appearance in our Pantomimes and with the giving his time to manage our accounts over a number of years. Ian has also kindly agreed to continue as our Treasurer until we find a replacement.

    We wish him and Wendy well in their new home.

    John Desbottes, Chairman

  • 2019

    Charlene Edwards

    One of our most loyal and dedicated members.

    This year the Cup goes to Charlene, who first appeared for SDC in 1996 and has appeared in eleven Pantomimes and seven plays since then which, we think you will agree, makes her one of our most loyal and dedicated members.

    Her commitment to the Club was particularly demonstrated this year, when we were struggling to find replacement cast for Cinderella, she volunteered to swap roles having already practically learnt the part for which she had been initially cast.

    John Desbottes, Chairman

  • 2016

    Diana Ralston and Don Ralston

    The scenery, and the song sheets, behind our pantomimes.

    I am sure that you will all agree that a major contribution to the success of our Pantomimes is the scenery and we are very lucky to have Di Ralston who has, over the years, not only produced many fantastic sets but also provides expert help and guidance to those artists whom she has recruited into SDC.

    However, it is not so well known that alongside Di over all these years, her husband Don has also given of his time and skills to support Di and produce equally splendid sets for us, not to mention numerous song sheets.

    Without them, our Pantomimes would lack a great deal of the visual spectacle which is so important and therefore it gave me great pleasure to award the Vernon Workman Cup jointly to Di and Don Ralston.

    John Desbottes, Chairman