Last week we included a letter from Alan Baker who had some good and interest points on the club in general. I than received another e-mail from Alan that also raises points that can be followed up, whether they would work is always going to be another issue but if the seeds are planted then we can go on from there. On the other hand if we do not sow those seeds then we do not move forward, thanks for the e-mail Alan and also your committed interest in the club. “Les as a separate issue you contacted me re the post I made on '2004 & 2005 program'; just developing a bit further if there were regional AGM with video conferencing; they would help bring members together where unlike normal clubs don't get to socialise that much. It could be possible for example to change the rules so that the region committee members are actually voted on at the regional meetings. The meeting could include an auction of birds, a breeder/buyer, a simple swap for enjoyment a quiz or a moot following the AGM. There are I'm sure lots of avenues that could be pursued to persuade members to attend. Also begs the question of regional meetings perhaps 4 times a year where members and local committee members could hold a 'surgery' followed by a social event/gathering. Best Wishes, Alan”
How far do we as a club the NFC go towards keeping in contact with our members, also how far can we go into the system by giving them a bigger say, after all they are members who pay their fees. I have included a few bit’s and pieces from Alan and this is a follow up which is a good idea but how many could realistically become involved, or more to the point how many want to become involved. I would like to think that there is some mileage in these points but it still begs the question are there enough members interested outside the regulars who communicate on a regular basis.
Computer Interest
We now have on board with the NFC committee a young fancier who is forward thinking and well up to date with the systems that are available to fanciers around the world. Paul O’Leary has been writing articles from the database but is now as a committee member is forwarding his info for the National Bulletins. I like Paul am always looking for avenues of interest to go down on behalf of the organisations that I am connected to and Paul added the following to en e-mail that he sent to me recently. “For the sale itself I can generate (from the NFCRAID) a listing of the best Open performance of each of the contributors. These can be placed on the pens to support the quality pigeons on offer. Also I can bring a spare PC along to let members browse the database offline - this may in turn generate additional sales and prize money for the 2004 OB program” Paul is of course referring to the young bird sale to be held at the end of March, full details will appear in the fancy press and on the NFC web pages. Going back to Paul’s comments it is an ideal opportunity for members and non-members to see the way forward with the club and obtain up to date details on the club and the winners over the years.
Both Paul and Alan have good open views on the way forward for the NFC and have many excellent suggestions that could arise through the web site. I know that there are always going to be a few who cannot use a computer but in the modern day of technology most houses do have one so can get onto the web site one way or another. I have been using computers for the last 20yrs but still need advice in certain areas, and you should always work on the basis that you re never too old to learn. There are some good offers with computers so if you are not yet mobile in this area why not come on board because there are some very good sites with lots of information about.
Young bird sale
The young bird sale for the NFC is going well and there are now nearly 60 donated and they will be coming up on the web site where you can put in your commission bids. The sale will be advertised in full and is on the 28th March at the Lostock Social Club Northwich. National FC section and open winners are donating the majority of young birds so a good team will be available. We are running short of time so if you have not already sent your details for those pigeons donated please get it in the post as soon as possible otherwise we will be missing info that may reduce the price per pigeon.
From the database
Paul has a good system to extract the info like the sec will forward that info if and when available. News from Paul on the database is as follows. “CD’s are now starting to trickle out into members’ hands and I’d like to remind all members that they are priced at just £12.50. The database is crammed full of data including EVERY pigeon timed in an NFC between 1998-2003. There’s a myriad of reports, which can subsequently be printed and filed. We’re still short of photographs of winning pigeons and I’d particularly like to obtain photographs of 1st National winning pigeons and Certificate of Merit Winners. Thereafter the various Average winners (e.g. Oliver Dix Trophy) plus Section winners will also be appreciated as in next year’s edition I’d like to showcase all of these fantastic pigeons. As in 2003 all surpluses from sales of the CD will be returned to you, the purchasers, in the form of added prizes in the Nantes, Pau, and Saintes old bird races this year. Last year we returned £252 in prize money. It would be great to increase the prizes available this year but of course this can only be achieved through additional sales. However with £6.25 from every sale going into the prize fund then it’s not wholly unrealistic to think that we could reach in excess of £500 this year. So please spread the word amongst other fanciers and encourage them to invest in a valuable product with the chance of winning a decent cash prize. I will of course welcome your own thoughts, but would again suggest that two prizes per race be awarded. 1st prize to the pigeon with the highest velocity from all the qualifying members’ pigeons, and 2nd prize to the pigeon with the next highest velocity flown by a different member and in a different section to the winner. This will ensure that no single member of section scoops both prizes and, hopefully, a reasonable and fair distribution of prizes over the three races. Onto the latest analysis and I thought I’d try and identify the ten pigeons that have flown the greatest number of air miles with the National Flying Club. The results are pretty interesting not least because of the spread, geographically speaking, of the members involved. The pigeon with the most miles on the clock is Michael Spencer’s GB1997N77819 which has flown 4575 miles at an average velocity of 866.279ypm whilst the pigeon with the highest average velocity is Biss & Waite’s GB1997N97097 at 1040.103ypm. I’ve commented on the latter pigeon countless times already suffice to say that its performances through the years are little short of fantastic”
Paul has supplied some very good information on pigeons with performances and I shall be looking at this in the near future, the young bird sale is the priority at the moment.
