Soothill WMC welcomes new steward

For Joe, who follows in his family tradition of collecting old vehicles, strongly believes that hand pulled ales can deliver lots of taste and satisfaction.

And that it will increase still further the aspirations of the committee to make the club, in Soothill Lane, an even bigger attraction to people for both weekends and weekdays.

Twenty nine year-old Joe, born in Heckmondwike and brought up in Healey, is a plumber by profession but has plenty of experience in the licensing trade having been employed behind the bars of the Batley Irish Democratic League Club, the Batley Conservative Club, Gomersal Cricket Club, St Mary’s Parochial Hall at Cross Bank and others during the years.

But now he will take over as steward at Soothill with his fiancée Stephanie Budby as stewardess.

Among the interesting vehicles that Joe owns is a Land Rover ambulance from the early 70s which served in the Falklands War, a Green Goddess fire engine, and a Burgundy Rover from 1968.

But he has access to an even bigger collection which has been built up and cherished over the years by his mother and dad Martyn and Shelagh Pickford.

Club president Chris Hobson said that although Joe had never been a club steward before, he had impressed the committee during his trial period by his self motivation and his knowledge of beers which had been built up over the years.

As well as providing lots of leisure and sporting facilities the club, which celebrated its centenary last year, ran regular bingo sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and provided entertaining acts and quiz sessions on a regular basis. 
He was sure that Joe would help improve the service even more and be a means of bringing the community even closer together.