North Wales Cruising Club

Dear members

An update for you all to let you know what has been happening since my last message and, what is coming up in the near future.

Last Saturday, 25 January, was of course our Burn’s Night Dinner at the Club. Needless to say it was very well attended with 31 bookings. We all had a great time with a fantastic Dinner provided by the Clemenence Restaurant. A real live Highland Piper played for our entertainment and piped in The Haggis and, we all enjoyed all the usual Burn’s Night Poems, Songs and fine Scotch Wisky. Sadly Dave Howard had an unfortunate accident a couple of days before the event and he and Sylvia were not able to join us on the evening. I am very happy to inform you all that although Dave’s accident was serious and involved him having surgery to fix a damaged muscle in his leg, he is now back at home and recovering. I understand from Sylvia that this will unfortunately take some time and has resulted in them having to cancel a planned cruise. Get well soon Dave, we are all thinking of you and look forward to seeing you back in action soon.

Our next planned event is the RAF Mess Night Valentines Dinner on Saturday 15 February. Harry Thompson our Vice Commodore is in command for this function and it promises to be yet another splendid evening with us again dining downstairs in the bar area with the Clemence providing the catering. I know that Harry will have the whole evening planned meticuously and that it will include “novel” aviators entertainments! Definitely one to look forward to.

On Saturday 15 March we are holding an evening aimed at introducing young persons to the Club and, hopefully recruiting them as Cadet Members. As a starting point for this I have invited all the Students on the Llandrillo College Marine Skills Course to visit us for the evening as our guests, I would also wish to extend this invitation to any and all the young family and friends of yourselves, so please do consider bringing along your own circle of potential Cadets to the evening. The event will be very informal and should be both good fun, informative to youngsters with an interest in sailing and good fun. I have attached the outline schedule of the event for your information.

Saturday 22 March is the 2014 Fitting Out Party Night. The detailed plan of this event is not yet finalised but as always it is an important date in our calender because it heralds the end of winter and the start of our long awaited sailing season. Without doubt this will be a Buffet Supper evening and it will include both entertainment and fun activities. Look out for the event notice and book early to avoid disappointment!

Finally for now an item of news! Sadly the Blue Launch has suffered a failure of its gearbox and is out of service for the time being while we await the delivery and fitting of a replacement new item. Needless to say this is an expensive part to replace and I am, as always, very conscious of the need to do our utmost to balance our books financially to ensure the future stability of our wonderful Club. For this reason it is my intention to run a special raffle in the near future to help fund the new gearbox costs. This will be called “The Gearbox Draw” it will be run over several weeks and offer a really attractive prize to the winner. Please do buy a ticket to support this initiative, who knows? You May be the Lucky Winner!

Thats all from me for now, I look forward to seeing you all soon, both in the Club and on the water.

Yours in Sailing

Tony Mead
Commodore

Dear Members

Please see below synopsis of our social programme up until the end of march 2014.The list does now include “by popular demand” a New Years Eve Party which I can promise you will be well worth attending should you be in town on the night!

The next two events in the Club are the Christmas Fayre on Saturday 7 December, guess who is Santa competition included, and the Special Christmas Quiz and Club Prize Draw on Thursday 19 December – Definitely not to be missed, members will be talking about being there for years afterwards!

Full details of each event will be posted on the website as soon as possible and on the Club noticeboard as each event draws near.

In addition to the above please don’t forget that Des Owen hosts the Music Night on the first wednesday of every month and that the Club Quiz Night is every Thursday come rain or shine.

I, as always, look forward to seeing you all as often as you can make it to the Club.

Yours in Sailing

Tony Mead
Commodore

 

Programme Details are:-

1. Saturday 7 December – NWCC Christmas Fayre and Visit by Father Christmas. – Fayre 1100 onwards, Father Christmas arrives at 1200 on Conwy Jetty then moves to his Grotto in the Club. Open to all. Always fantastic fun this one. Santa and his Little Helpers, Children, Visitors, Club Members and who knows who else may call in!
2. Thursday 19 December – A Special NWCC Christmas Quiz and Prize Draw. – A party to get the Christmas spirits coursing through the blood!!! This evening will incorporate the Grand Draw for the Club Christmas Booze Hamper (should you neither have seen it nor bought a ticket, it is on display in the bar tickets £3 each ), The Bling Raffle ( also on display in the bar, tickets £1 each ) and other spot prizes with a Christmas theme. The evening will feature a Novel, Fun and Unusual Challenging Christmas Quiz. Everything gets underway at 2030 and all are invited. Supper will be served during the evening utilising the famous “Jacob’s Join” principal – bring a plate of food that you would like to eat but don’t mind sharing with others!
3. Tuesday 31 December 2013 – New Years Eve Party. – This will now definately happen by popular demand. 2000 until late, Supper Provided ( menu and cost TBD ). The theme for the evening will be 1960’s Rock and Roll, so dust of that old Beatle Jacket (you know you kept it) and Winkle Pickers, get out your Mary Quant Frocks. This is going to be some serious fun! Dancing, Witty Conversation/Anecdotes and good old Rock and Roll Music. Look out for the list on the Noticeboard.
4. Saturday 25 January 2014 – Burn’s Night Dinner. – A Traditional and Stylish Burn’s Night Dinner 1900 for 1930, Kilts or Plaids desirable.
5. Saturday 15 February 2014 – A Traditional Royal Air Force Mess Dinner – Dining downstairs in the bar area to celebrate both our Courageous Aviators and Valentines Day. 1900 for 1930.
6. Saturday 22 March 2014 – The 2014 Sailing Season Fitting Out Party/Supper – A Wales at Sea themed evening-daffodils compulsory!

Thats all for now. I hope to see you all at the events planned.

Dear members

Just to remind you all that Saturday 9 November 2013 is RNLI Conwy Day. The Fun and Festivities go on virtually all day and start off with the Lifeboat Coffee Morning at the club to which you are all invited. Needless to say this is very worthwhile and all takings are donated to the Lifeboat. I can assure you that there will be all sorts of things going during this part of the event day and the Club Bar will of course be open as usual. Later on during the evening the Gallant Crew of our Lifeboat will all be present in the Club Bar affording us a fantastic opportunity to “Meet The Crew”. This evening is always really good fun with Dave Howard no doubt providing some entertaining anecdotes!!

Please do your best to come and join us all in support of our Lifeboat, Those who Crew it and those who give so freely of their time and energy to support the RNLI Onshore.

The next day Sunday 10 November is of course Remembrance Sunday. Those of us who wish to attend the Conwy Remembrance Service and Parade at Bodlondeb usually meet up at the Club by approx 1015 for Coffee/Tea prior to making our way, as a group, up to Bodlondeb to represent NWCC at the ceremony . On its completion it is not unknown for us all to return to the club to privately Toast the Fallen in a traditional Cruising Club manner! Following on from this, as you will be aware from our club programme, there is at 1330 a lunch laid on at the club for those that have booked for it. Regrettably this part of the event is already fully booked but the club will of course remain open for service to all members who wish to remain.

Last but by no means least re;events on this message, Saturday 16 November is our Aladdins Cave Market Day at the Club. This is an “Early Bird” Christmas Shopping opportunity not to be missed with all sorts of goods from Jewellery to French Garden Art to RNLI items for sale at absolute bargain “Once in a Lifetime” prices.
This event will also help our Club Funds because, with the exception of the RNLI, all stall holders will be contributing a percentage of their takings to the Club.
Needless to say refreshments will be available throughout the day and the bar will be open normal Saturday Hours.

Finally, if you have not heard via the grapevine, as from this Friday 1 November Elaine our Steward will be able to provide hot food over the bar during its opening hours. Initially we have aimed this to provide good quality Chicken Curry(with rice), Beef Hotpot(with Fresh Bread/Butter) and Vegetarian dishes at a cost of £4-50 each. There will also be Naam Bread, Baked Potatoes and hopefully a Pudding available at a small additional cost. You will I know all appreciate that because we do not know what the demand for this facility will be it is necessary for us to err on the side of caution in preparing these meals to avoid any financial risk to the club. For this reason it may well intially be that the prepared stocks fall short of what may be requested. Should this occur please do bear with us for a short while as the service develops.

Thats all from me for now. I look forward to seeing you all soon.

Yours in Sailing

Tony Mead
Commodore