‘BIBC NEWS’ – OCT. 2012

Welcome to this edition of the Club Newsletter. All the leagues are up and running; new members have boosted some of these and are very welcome. Hopefully, more new members will result from the new session of Coaching – which begins on Monday October 8th at 7.15pm. Please do your best to bring along friends or relatives, as this helps to keep down increases in rink fees etc.  The Open Nights in late August did produce new members, but we do need your help.

We have installed a new electronic noticeboard near the Office – this will be used for all sorts of things, from photos to news to hot shots – you name it!

I am sure all Club members are now aware of the sad passing of  Rowan McNeilly. I have been asked by many members to use the Newsletter to bring such events to the notice of all. I trust this will only be occasionally. We have lost 5 members since last season, and I am not going to list them here; suffice to say that Rowan’s passing has meant we are going to ask all Club members to fill in a short form with an emergency contact name and number in the event of future accidents, illnesses etc.

Coffee Morning: This year the Ladies Committee will be hosting a coffee morning on Wednesday 17th October from 10am - 12pm in Aid of Chest Heart and Stroke.  Please come along and support a very worthwhile cause.

Subscriptions: May I remind everyone that your membership subscriptions are now due.  The last day for payment, as per the constitution is Tuesday 16th October.

Postponed Games: The first couple of weeks of the season always see a number of postponed matches.  If you are postponing a match, please inform your opposition and the office.  As a reminder, the rule is that the non-defaulting team has to offer the defaulting team 3 dates within a calendar month of the date of the original match.  If dates are given, but not accepted, then the non-defaulting team will claim the points.  If dates are not given, then the defaulting team will claim the points.  In either case, if the match is not played, then the loser is the club!!  So please make an effort to play all your matches.  
Umpires Course: Billy McConkey is going to run a course for anyone looking to become an umpire.  If  this appeals, please sign the sheet on the noticeboard in reception, or speak to Billy in person.

Suggestions Box: this is in the Foyer, and I am glad to say, seldom used, but I will NOT act upon any suggestion which is signed ‘anonymous’. If people have not the guts to sign their own name, it will not be even discussed, let alone acted upon.

One suggestion I did receive was to remind players about the Rules of Etiquette – which are displayed on the boards. In particular, please walk up the CENTRE of your rink, and not the side; please clear the head when an opponent is about to play; and if you DO follow your bowl up the rink, then remember you MUST be at the head before, or at the same time, that your bowl arrives.  Finally,  just because you are marking the card, does not mean you can’t help to get the bowls back when an end finishes.

Wheelchair Bowlers: Last Sunday, the 23rd September, we played host to a team of wheelchair bowlers from Belfast v their Dublin counterparts, for the Claude Stevens Cup.  This was an annual tournament that ran up until 5 years ago.  The competition was re-started this year by Gabriel Mallon, in a 2 game format.  The first match was played in Dublin, earlier in the year and was won by Belfast, with the return match again being won by Belfast 37 v 15.  Congratulations to Gabriel for getting this competition started again, and hopefully it will become a regular fixture in the club.

If anyone knows someone who would like to try their hand at wheelchair bowling, Gabriel has asked that they contact him on tel:07751 206965 or by email: gabriel.mallon@aspire.org.uk

Finally, a photograph of our new club Chairman, Ronnie Mckitterick.  May I take this opportunity to wish him well in his new position.

*** STOP PRESS ***  NEWS JUST IN: Alberta and her staff  have  just received the latest “Scores on the Doors” accreditation from Castlereagh Borough Council…… and this time they have achieved the highest score possible of 5 out of 5.  Many congratulations to Alberta and her staff for achieving this score.

Editor