‘BIBC NEWS’ – 2014 November
The alarming thing from my point of view every year is the number of members who leave it to the very last day before paying their annual subscription. This year we have added just a little incentive of a £5 surcharge for late payments. Would it be more efficient or productive to make the incentive a £5 reduction if paid early?? I would welcome your views.
Point on Law (and etiquette): the first part of this important law reads: ‘Possession of the rink will belong to the player or team whose bowl is being played.’ Now, several players have recently complained to me about the opposition ‘back end’ crowding the jack. The skip whose team has possession of the rink should ask the opposition players to step away from the head.
Linked with the above point is the usual request that comes around this time every year for all players to walk up the CENTRE of their rink and not up the side, thus possibly obstructing players in adjacent rinks.
Coffee Morning: The Coffee morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer raised £900. Thanks to Irene and the Belfast Ladies who organised all the lovely cookies and Alberta for supplying the coffee and tea.
Future dates : the ‘short mat’ folk will occupy the upper rink on Saturday November 8th and Saturday November 22nd.
Sunday November 23rd sees the Qualifiers for the AIIB Singles – here, starting at 10.00am.
Christmas Meals: This is the time of year to book your Xmas Dinner at the Restaurant. (Think of your short mat clubs here).
Administration: there have been a few changes in personnel in the Management Committee since the AGM, and the following new members have joined the Committee: Neil Mulholland and Clifford Craig . Chris Eadie has taken over from Chris Gallagher as Competition Secretary.
The new Biomass boiler is in full operation and hopefully we will see a reduction in our heating bills.
Repairs: Sadly, some of you will have noticed the work going on at the back of the Clubhouse. This entails renewing a broken sewer pipe amongst other things.
Club Competitions: please keep an eye on the relevant boards, since some folk have failed to appear on the correct day.
Hotshots: after an absence of a few months, this aspect is up and running again. The following attained this achievement:
- I.McBurney, D.Taylor, P.Grahame, J.Bell on 9th Oct.
- R.Graham, L.McCartney, J.Graham, J.McBride on 30th Oct.
- I.Minnis, K.Woodside, C.Eadie, S.Bailie on 22nd Sept.
Congratulations to all of them – it is up to yourselves to obtain the Hotshot awards!
Anniversary: I have mentioned before that next year sees the 50th anniversary of the Club. To that end we are planning certain events, more detail later in the year, but in anticipation of that, I am seeking any memories, stories, jokes, pictures from ‘the early days’ ( ie from our older members!)
Skips (who would be one??). Here are a few verses of an old ‘poem’ about skips:
There are skips who boast and brag enough to beat the playing band
There’s the skip who every shot you play runs up to shake your hand
There are skips who play far better, when they can hardly stand, and they still keep bowling on.
There’s the skip who won’t play second – there’s the skip who won’t play lead,
There’s the skip who’s always demonstrating how to build the heid,
There are skips of my acquaintance who would be far better deid,
But they still keep bowling on.
(2 more verses next month!).
Editor