Our request for ideas on the logo front has already brought about suggestions and I shall be including a few over the coming weeks. The first five were supplied by Phillip Johnson of GR 8 Design, thanks Phil will let you know how we go on.
Section Members
Received the numbers on membership for the sections, which was accompanied by a spreadsheet on the % of members voting from each section. It is also interesting to note that only 17% of the members voted at the last AGM. These are the numbers for the club and are as follows, section members, sec %, members voted and section % members. A 242-5.90%-44-18.18%. B 340-8.28%-66-19.41%. C 90-2.19%-18-20%. D 252-6.14%-29-11.51%. E 990-24.12%-178-17.98%. F 202-4.92%-42-20.97%. G 462-11.25%-92-19.91%. H 192-4.68%-43-22.40%. I 192-4.68%-27-14.06%. J 414-10.90%-52-12.56%. K 235-5.27%-46-19.57%. L494-12.03%-68-13.77%. These figures are generated by the club computer system and supplied by the secretary. The problem is always going to be how do we get more members voting and interested in the club. Are the section ideas a way of gaining the trust of members to come forward and join the drive to improve the club, look at as a whole and not a few individuals?
Interested party
I received a letter from Mike Staddon on the position that the club finds itself in over all the correspondence in the letters pages of the fancy press. The committee are always looking for ideas and this is what Mike has to say about the way forward. “Re progress in the NFC. In my opinion one of the biggest problems holding back the NFC is not open prize money but the sections and the prize money allocated. The NFC need’s to reward the winners not the also ran’s as at present. Open prize money should reflect the 21st Century and pay decent prizes to the first 10 in the open only and increase the prize money for these pigeons. The sections need to be reduced in my opinion to at least 8 and pay some prize money to every section winner in fact I believe the section prize money should be boosted to the detriment of the open prize money. I would suggest that section prize money could be £500 for 1st section, £250 2nd sec and £100 for 3rd section and pro rata to the total number of birds sent in each section for extra prizes. For extra prize money in my opinion there are far too many sections in the South of England, the committee could invoke rule 26 racing rules but I don’t think that they have got the bottle. If I had a magic wand I would amalgamate sections C-D-G into the West section. F & B the central section and A & E an east section. I think that sections J-I-H-J-K are OK. What do you think? You cannot help where you live can you? The biggest retrograde step by the NFC committee was to reappoint a chief convoyer and the race advisers after the problems that arose over the races from Nantes and Pau/Saintes. It would have been far better for the committee to appoint new people to these positions and show good faith at the request of the members. In my opinion this will cost the NFC dear, everybody in my area is unhappy with the situation” What do you think about the sections, should they be changed or not, is there a better and more helpful way of setting new boundaries, please let me know.
Freddy Dyke
When we were at the Stonleigh Show we were introduced to Freddy Dyke by Fred & Doreen, I then wrote to Freddy and received the following reply. “Dear Les, I thank you for your letter of the 25th inst, and I must say it was a pleasure to meet you on the NFC stand along with my very good friends Fred 7 Doreen. We were able to form this friendship from our effort’s to establish the Animals of War Memorial from our meeting and our journey to Ash and the invitation of Mike Armitage (Lion Brewery) to stay overnight on Saturday 10th 2000. This was well appreciated by our party before attending the march past the “Cenotaph” to initiate the yearly muster for the House of Commons dinner, which is now a regular part of the pigeon fancier’s calendar. These 14 pioneers’ for want of a better description include the following. Mike & Brenda Armitage, Fred Sharmen, Doreen Kneller and friends, Mr & Mrs Porter, Jack & Margaret (Jack Ex NPS and APS M.E.F.) Mrs Marge Southern and daughter, Marges Husband, Eddie was a gunner in the RAF and was rescued from a ditched plane by the homing of “White Vision” a Dicken Memorial Medal winner, Unfortunately Eddie passed away some 6yrs ago. Mr Keith Sandbatch, Mr George Kelly President of the SHU, Donny Brooks and wife Linda, sec Scottish SHU and myself, Ex NPS, special section assisting APS and RAF pigeon section. Later on the Sunday morning Nov 11th we had the pleasure of Mr Doug Went’s company to complete the party in the march past. I think due to the help of Mr Derek Partridge and Mr Brian Newson this first effort by the fancy to bring to the members of the general public the life saving efforts of our wartime birds and their handlers would never have taken place.
I feel sure Les that any of your future Bulletins that help to alert “Joe” public and help to bring about a greater understanding of our dwindling sport and in particular the many problems we now have to face, including the predatory falcon menace. I will give you a couple of stories later from the book I have written and which I hope to get published at a later date, this is not entirely about pigeons but is part my biography. I wrote this book with the intention of appealing to a wider audience outside the fancy and it is for that reason it was not suitable to publish in the RP who rightly published 100% pigeon matters. Best wishes and regards Freddy” I look forward to receiving some info in the near future Freddy and all the best.
Tales of the unexpected.
Third letter this week is from Michael Shepherd with the main enquiry being about items appertaining to recent meetings and is requesting confirmation of three issues. “Well following your request, I am writing to you seeking answers rather than the fancy press. I note from your recent National bulletin you claim that proposition 8 in the AGM ballot was ruled out of order by the President at the AGM. This came as a surprise to me. As you know I attended the AGM and I heard no such ruling. Having spoken to numerous other people who also attended I have to tell you that nobody else heard this ruling either. I look forward to your comments.
Another problem that is causing consternation at the moment are the numerous rumours that appear to be rife concerning the amount of money lost on the recent annual dinner, figures ranging from £10,000 to £17,000 are being quoted depending on who one talks to. Can you confirm precisely what the figure is, if indeed the club has suffered a loss? I look forward to your comments.
Your request for suggestions for a logo. What is wrong with the NFC badge and motto? As for the heading or caption for articles, how about changing from “National Bulletins” to “Tales of the Unexpected. Yours sincerely. Mike Shepherd”.
Mike has asked two questions and passed comment on another and through these Bulletins is the right way to go so that you can get the up to date information and everyone is receiving the same information. On the first point about proposition 8 at the AGM, as you know Mike I was there as well and sat next to you at both the morning meeting and the AGM in the afternoon. In the morning meeting the proposition was ruled out of order and that is on tape, I also heard it and made a note. Then on to not hearing the comments passed on the same proposition at the AGM. I again heard the discussion that took place which was brought up, I believe by Mick McGrevy and discussed, I also believe that Joe Raeburn who also put the proposition forward accepted that explanation. Those are the facts as they happened on the day. We then go on to the loss at the presentation, as you are aware the NFC is required to book so many rooms for a function which is exactly what was done, the problem is the clauses in the contracts do have their pitfalls. The rooms booked were not taken up as expected and after meetings with the hotel the committee agreed to pay the costs because there was no way out of the clause. What I can tell you Mike is that it is better than suggested as the loss was a little over £6,200 which suggests that in comparison to your figures the club are better off than you thought. As regards to the logo, some people think that it is time for a change, however Mike if you suggest that we keep the original fair enough, I doubt if anyone has a problem with that. We shall wait and see what the members have to offer and give everyone a chance to put their views forward. As you see Mike I have headed my piece as Tales of the Unexpected because I was quite surprised to see an ex secretary of the NFC get those issues wrong.
The above have been proof read by the Secretary and President and the facts checked and are believed to be correct at the time of going to press.
