Lydia is our new ACDO
Meet our new
assistant county
development
officer, Lydia
Johnston
Lydia Johnston has joined the BB&O Golf
Partnership as assistant county development
officer.
A 3 handicapper who plays at Harleyford Golf
Club, Lydia was appointed in December,
replacing Stefanie Duffy.
Lydia has been playing golf for seven years and
has represented both Harleyford and the
Buckinghamshire County Ladies in golf events
and tournaments. She currently holds the
course record at Harleyford and regularly
participated in top amateur tournaments.
In 2011, Lydia earned a full golf scholarship to
study an Associate of Arts degree at University
in America, graduating in May 2013 with
Honors and as an Academic All American.
Lydia competed in many collegiate golf
tournaments in the US, earning top 10 finishes,
as well as qualifying for the NJCAA Women’s Golf
National Championship in Daytona, Florida.
Said Lydia: “I am excited about my new role and
looking forward to working with golf club’s and
the academies within the BB&O this year.”
Lydia Johnston
Partnership team triumph at charity golf day
The BB&O Golf Partnership team took time off
to take part in a charity golf day last year and
came away with the winners trophy!
John Low (Partnership chairman), Merv Foulds
(treasurer), Rajiv Patel (county development
officer and Stefanie Duffy (then assistant
county development officer), were one of
17 teams which competed in the third
annual ‘Robbie the Robot’
Golf Day at Sonning Golf
Club on Friday, September
27, 2013.
‘Robbie the Robot’ is a £2.1m
da Vinci Robot acquired by
the Royal Berkshire Hospital
in Reading five years ago
in a bid to stay at the
forefront of cancer
care. The robot allows
surgeons to perform robot
assisted laparoscopic
prostatectomies. The
programme has proved so
successful it has now been
rolled out to other specialities
within the hospital.
Partnership press officer, magazine designer
and website content manager, Colin Gunney,
now living in Devon, is one of many who has
benefitted from the Robot. Colin had first hand
knowledge of ‘Robbie, undergoing prostate
surgery in 2009. He still assists the Robbie
appeal campaign.
During the last three years more than £30,000
has been contributed to the ‘Robbie’ Appeal by
the annual golf day and at the end of last year
it was announced that the RBH now officially
own the £2.1million robot outright.
The fund remains open to purchase future
enhancements, train surgeons and to take
advantage of any new advances in robotic
surgery that will enhance care at the Royal
Berks Hospital.
Apart from winning the event, Rajiv Patel won
best male player and Stefanie won best female
player. Rajiv also scooped the award for
longest drive.
The prizes were presented by Consultant
Adam Jones, the surgeon, who with the help
of ‘Robbie’, operated on Colin.
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