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Fandance 14 - The write-up

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  • Fandance 14 - The write-up

    Fandance 14 – The write-up


    What a weekend, only mired by Mother nature...

    As usual, the weekend began as everyone started to converge on Brecon from Friday morning and particularly the Rugby Club from around midday. Throughout the day the club was slowly filling up and faces you’ve not seen for ages started to appear; Mick Marrison and his good lady had flown over from Canada and I saw Manny Manfred who I’ve not seen for years.

    So the Rugby club was alive by 2100, on Friday night after people had filtered in it was time to filter out and get a scoff and visit the other watering holes of Brecon.

    The Storey Arm’s overflow car park would not be recognised by many who’ve not been there for years. When I did my recce in February all the trees abutting the car park had been removed – The so-called reason for this being that most were diseased anyway and that ‘as we’re doing it anyway’ why not prepare the ground for the proposed Visitor Centre and new Car Park, with meters. These projects had either no funding or no permission before the place was vandalised by the NT.

    So we all gathered at the car park from 0900 and this year we were to start at 0930. Such were the weather conditions – wind and driving rain, that I started everyone off earlier because to stand around, with no shelter from the wind and rain, was pointless. So, everyone disappeared up the winding track and into the cloud cover and those a little later than planned trying to catch up. The weather at the bottom felt bad enough but Smokey made the comment that in 40 years it was the worst conditions he’d encountered on the Fan. By the time the first walkers had returned I had already made the decision to postpone the dedication ceremony to the Rugby club either before or after the AGM, weather permitting.

    As soon as people were down I suggested they get a brew and then get back, dry off and get warm and we would see them at the AGM at 1530.

    The AGM was short and sweet, BillS had to be against every proposal ‘on principle’ which gave some welcome light heartedness. We have a new Treasurer, Gerry Cox after Tommy Simpson stood down. Tommy has done a great job for the club and we all recognised that. Another new addition is Denzil Connick as Welfare Officer. In fairness Denzil has been performing this role for roughly 10 months and he needed to be formally voted onto the committee. We also said thank you to Dave Hughes who was the Merchandise Officer. Proposals carried were the new club Constitution and the Merchandise Outsourcing. A vote of thanks for Tommy for his dedication as Treasurer and WO2 (RQMS) Chris Smith (3 Para) for allowing the guys to stay at Dering Lines at no charge and Al Peet for turning up with brews for everyone on the walk were recorded.

    If you are a paid up club member you can read the full minutes and Chairman’s annual statement here:



    Following the AGM we placed crosses for those we remember who have left us during the last 12 months.

    As soon as the AGM had finished we had a rush of buyers for the merchandise we were selling off and we sold 2/3rds of our stock – thank you everyone.

    After everyone had cleared the room the work started on preparing it for the evening entertainment and my thanks go to Anne Lewis and my wife Sharon for their work. Let’s see how we can improve the party decorations next year....

    By the time that I had arrived at the Rugby club (1910) every seat and table was occupied, the weather outside was still wet so this made the hall a little ‘tight’ initially. The Ladies began to sell the raffle tickets as soon as I got there. Thanks to Anne, Debra and Sharon who managed tickets sales.

    The evening kicked-off at 1930 with the news that Rees Davies had managed to donate over £500 in sponsorship for his walk up the Fan. I saw Brenda and Rees come off the Mountain and they were soaked! Well done young man and thank you. Some presentations were then made:

    1. The Daniel Slater award was presented to Jenny Bairstow-Clarke. Jenny is the kind hearted lady who makes the lanyard wristbands for every AB unit and then donates the sales to the BAFC.

    2. We presented a Blacks gift voucher to Tommy Simpson so that he may buy any item of outdoor clothing to the value of £150. He’s been an outstanding treasurer, a great source of information and a great help to me during my first year as Chairman. Thanks Tom.

    3. As you know, Smokey stepped down last year and although we knew it was happening it was hard to find a way of saying thank you. What do you get the man who probably has every glass bowl, every statuette, every picture and every bit of inscribed brass? Oh, not forgetting every 81m mortar tube! In the end we opted for something not expensive (his precise instructions) but something that we thought would encompass two of his passions, Rugby League and the BAFC. I presented Smokey with a 2014 home shirt for South Sydney Rabitoo’s Rugby League team with No.7 (scrum half) and SMOKEY on the back. Importantly, we had a BAFC tag made and that was sewn on the shirt at the front with Chairman 2006-2013. We all hope you enjoy it Smokey and many thanks for all you’ve done for the club - you’ve been a star!

    Following the presentation I let the starving rush to the buffet (kindly prepared by Sharon who runs the Rugby club) and then the auction started.

    The Auction and then raffle was hosted by Eric Holmes and we managed to get a further £550 from both. Thank you to Eric for hosting and to all those who kindly donated prizes and auction items. You know the money will go to a good cause and you help make this club so unique.

    Now, after the raffle it all got a bit messy....

    Sadly, we all missed Dave Hart this year and his Elvis voice but, out of his shadow, large as life, came Thorney. Finally, this was his year when he could steal the limelight from Mr Hart – and Thorney went for it. Solos, duets and dancing (of sorts), live GAY and S&M shows – my god, it was special. Thorney led the boys while Anne Lewis led the Girls for singing (they are far too sensible to do anything else) along with Brenda Davis and Saz Thompson. There was a time when we wondered if Smokey would put the microphone down bashing out the Eagles and ACDC. The disco guy laid down the tracks and we all danced or sang the night away. Thanks to everyone who made it such a fantastic night - if you weren’t there you missed a great evening.

    Lastly, I’d like to thank all those who took part in the walk up the hill in atrocious conditions, all with smiles on their faces and soaking wet through. Some of those people didn’t join us for the AGM and the party but you still contributed to what was a great weekend for us all – Thank you.

    See you all again on 23rd May 2015.
    Last edited by Probets; 13 May 2014, 14:57.

  • #2
    Re: Fandance 14 - The write-up

    Originally posted by Probets View Post
    Fandance 14 – The write-up


    What a weekend, only mired by Mother nature...

    As usual, the weekend began as everyone started to converge on Brecon from Friday morning and particularly the Rugby Club from around midday. Throughout the day the club was slowly filling up and faces you’ve not seen for ages started to appear; Mick Marrison and his good lady had flown over from Canada and I saw Manny Manfred who I’ve not seen for years.

    So the Rugby club was alive by 2100, on Friday night after people had filtered in it was time to filter out and get a scoff and visit the other watering holes of Brecon.

    The Storey Arm’s overflow car park would not be recognised by many who’ve not been there for years. When I did my recce in February all the trees abutting the car park had been removed – The so-called reason for this being that most were diseased anyway and that ‘as we’re doing it anyway’ why not prepare the ground for the proposed Visitor Centre and new Car Park, with meters. These projects had either no funding or no permission before the place was vandalised by the NT.

    So we all gathered at the car park from 0900 and this year we were to start at 0930. Such were the weather conditions – wind and driving rain, that I started everyone off earlier because to stand around, with no shelter from the wind and rain, was pointless. So, everyone disappeared up the winding track and into the cloud cover and those a little later than planned trying to catch up. The weather at the bottom felt bad enough but Smokey made the comment that in 40 years it was the worst conditions he’d encountered on the Fan. By the time the first walkers had returned I had already made the decision to postpone the dedication ceremony to the Rugby club either before or after the AGM, weather permitting.

    As soon as people were down I suggested they get a brew and then get back, dry off and get warm and we would see them at the AGM at 1530.

    The AGM was short and sweet, BillS had to be against every proposal ‘on principle’ which gave some welcome light heartedness. We have a new Treasurer, Gerry Cox after Tommy Simpson stood down. Tommy has done a great job for the club and we all recognised that. Another new addition is Denzil Connick as Welfare Officer. In fairness Denzil has been performing this role for roughly 10 months and he needed to be formally voted onto the committee. We also said thank you to Dave Hughes who was the Merchandise Officer. Proposals carried were the new club Constitution and the Merchandise Outsourcing. A vote of thanks for Tommy for his dedication as Treasurer and WO2 (RQMS) Chris Smith (3 Para) for allowing the guys to stay at Dering Lines at no charge and Al Peet for turning up with brews for everyone on the walk were recorded.

    If you are a paid up club member you can read the full minutes and Chairman’s annual statement here:



    Following the AGM we placed crosses for those we remember who have left us during the last 12 months.

    As soon as the AGM had finished we had a rush of buyers for the merchandise we were selling off and we sold 2/3rds of our stock – thank you everyone.

    After everyone had cleared the room the work started on preparing it for the evening entertainment and my thanks go to Anne Lewis and my wife Sharon for their work. Let’s see how we can improve the party decorations next year....

    By the time that I had arrived at the Rugby club (1910) every seat and table was occupied, the weather outside was still wet so this made the hall a little ‘tight’ initially. The Ladies began to sell the raffle tickets as soon as I got there. Thanks to Anne, Debra and Sharon who managed tickets sales.

    The evening kicked-off at 1930 with the news that Rees Davies had managed to donate over £500 in sponsorship for his walk up the Fan. I saw Brenda and Rees come off the Mountain and they were soaked! Well done young man and thank you. Some presentations were then made:

    1. The Daniel Slater award was presented to Jenny Bairstow-Clarke. Jenny is the kind hearted lady who makes the lanyard wristbands for every AB unit and then donates the sales to the BAFC.

    2. We presented a Blacks gift voucher to Tommy Simpson so that he may buy any item of outdoor clothing to the value of £150. He’s been an outstanding treasurer, a great source of information and a great help to me during my first year as Chairman. Thanks Tom.

    3. As you know, Smokey stepped down last year and although we knew it was happening it was hard to find a way of saying thank you. What do you get the man who probably has every glass bowl, every statuette, every picture and every bit of inscribed brass? Oh, not forgetting every 81m mortar tube! In the end we opted for something not expensive (his precise instructions) but something that we thought would encompass two of his passions, Rugby League and the BAFC. I presented Smokey with a 2014 home shirt for South Sydney Rabitoo’s Rugby League team with No.7 (scrum half) and SMOKEY on the back. Importantly, we had a BAFC tag made and that was sewn on the shirt at the front with Chairman 2006-2013. We all hope you enjoy it Smokey and many thanks for all you’ve done for the club - you’ve been a star!

    Following the presentation I let the starving rush to the buffet (kindly prepared by Sharon who runs the Rugby club) and then the auction started.

    The Auction and then raffle was hosted by Eric Holmes and we managed to get a further £550 from both. Thank you to Eric for hosting and to all those who kindly donated prizes and auction items. You know the money will go to a good cause and you help make this club so unique.

    Now, after the raffle it all got a bit messy....

    Sadly, we all missed Dave Hart this year and his Elvis voice but, out of his shadow, large as life, came Thorney. Finally, this was his year when he could steal the limelight from Mr Hart – and Thorney went for it. Solos, duets and dancing (of sorts), live GAY and S&M shows – my god, it was special. Thorney led the boys while Anne Lewis led the Girls for singing (they are far too sensible to do anything else) along with Brenda Davis and Saz Thompson. There was a time when we wondered if Smokey would put the microphone down bashing out the Eagles and ACDC. The disco guy laid down the tracks and we all danced or sang the night away. Thanks to everyone who made it such a fantastic night - if you weren’t there you missed a great evening.

    Lastly, I’d like to thank all those who took part in the walk up the hill in atrocious conditions, all with smiles on their faces and soaking wet through. Some of those people didn’t join us for the AGM and the party but you still contributed to what was a great weekend for us all – Thank you.

    See you all again on 23rd May 2015.
    Phil well said mate, yes the Fandance was done in true Airborne style. Let encourage others to attend a great weekend. Come on you serving or exserving member, the weekend just the ticket

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Fandance 14 - The write-up

      Good write up Phil.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Fandance 14 - The write-up

        Excellent Phil, sorry for hogging the mike lol, must be why some called me Smokey karaoke in the Battalion!! I am banning myself from it at FANDANCE '15

        The hard work yourself & all of the committee put in was the reason so many enjoyed the event, I will be wearing the Souths jersey with pride at the local Rugby League club this coming weekend, thanks again.

        C'mon May 2015.
        "Whilst drinking from the well, never forget those that dug the well"

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Fandance 14 - The write-up

          Don't you dare not get on that Karaoke, everyone that does makes it a great evening. I'm glad you like the Jersey, enjoy the game this weekend.

          Comment

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