The International Golf Championship of the Shoe, Leather & Allied Trades is held annually in the UK but, with growing European participation, it raises valuable funds for the footwear and leather charitable organisations. This year the overall winner was Nicholas Draper, managing director of Drapers of Glastonbury. The only other winners from the leather industry were Geoffrey W Mawer, Geoffrey Mawer Leathers, who is also the president and who won the local Leicester area trophy, and John Woodward of Bradford Hide & Skin Co Ltd. Woodward owns several raw skin businesses and recently took over McConomy and Holmes Hall. He won the Gibson Cup which is the Yorkshire and north east area cup. Next year’s event is scheduled for June 17-18 in Blackpool.

Last year, Geoffrey Mawer was also president of the Leather & Hide Trade’s Benevolent Institution and said he managed to raise an extra £5,000 from the golfing fraternity during his period in office.

He has now stepped down and is a vice president, having been succeeded by John Buckley as president for the current year. Jonathon Freeston is president elect.