In our launch edition of Sporting Spirit, the Chairman, Ian Kilbride, mentioned how The Spirit Organisation had committed time and resources in supporting codes, clubs and teams in various sports. Recently I was in a conversation with a group of golfing friends at a Warwick Wealth (one of Spirit’s companies) sponsored event at Westlake Golf Club. This is a club we have sponsored in many ways for over 20 years.

After thanking us for the day’s sponsorship, the visiting Captain asked, “Don’t Warwick Wealth also sponsor Bowling?“. It was in replying YES, we most certainly do, that I had the notion to make it known just what other sport we supported in the past and continue to do so in various ways.

Therefore, for your information, the following is the impressive list of sports sponsored and supported by Warwick Wealth to date. Bowls - main sponsor to bowls across South Africa and BSA; Golf – many clubs and events; Croquet – two world championship events -Kelvin Grove & Johannesburg; Dragon Boat Racing – Cape Town Waterfront; Water Polo – World over 50 Championships – Knysna Lagoon; Bridge – WP & Provincial events; Lords Taverners Cricket; Motor Racing and Spirit Racing; Soccer – SIFA Football Academy & Disability Football; Rugby Club Sponsorship – Masi Pumas.

The sponsorship of bowling – Bowls South Africa (BSA), is so comprehensive and interesting that it will feature as a stand-alone article in our next issue of Sporting Spirit.

Croquet was born out of being played alongside bowling greens. It was whilst sponsoring a bowling event at Port Alfred Bowls Club that a lady from the croquet section waylaid me with the comment – "Young man, you are sponsoring the wrong sport, talk to me later”. She was very persuasive, and we eventually became the main sponsor of the World Croquet Championships at Kelvin Grove.

Question for readers? Which country has the most croquet clubs and has won the most world team titles? Answer in the next edition.

Possibly the most interesting and enjoyable sport supported was the Dragon Boat Racing Regatta held at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. We entered a staff team named “Warwick Warriors”. The most enjoyable event being the mixed crew races with an experienced helmsman banging the drum to the beat of the TEN rowers.

I will highlight some of the above sports in future issues but in the meantime, I do hope you will be impressed with the variation of codes and events that The Spirit Organisation has supported over the years.