QUASQUICENTENNIAL

In case the above title frightens my regular reader into thinking I’ve finally found a brain, fear not! It comes from my learned Committee Member Sharon who says it means 125. 2011 sees the 125th Anniversary of Balerno BC and Sharon’s sub group has designed a programme of bowling and social activities to celebrate the occasion. We are grateful to club member Katie Shepherd (a successful hairdresser) and our Social Dance Club for putting up two new anniversary bowling trophies. The Dance Club meets every Wednesday and apart from being a great way to keep fit allows members to practice their foxtrots, waltzes quicksteps etc and the occasional Scottish dance. So if ‘Strictly Come Balerno’ is your thing please come along.

Sponsorship has become more and more important to Clubs like ours and we are delighted to have the ongoing support of Belhaven Brewery, The Famous Grouse and Bavelaw Garage. This year our teams will be kitted out in new tops with the support of BGS (Bowling Green Services). And we are so pleased to have the renewed support of key sponsor Mark Porteous of Porteous Funeral Services. We are not anxious to make use of his main business (although he does run other services like will writing, investment plans etc.) but we are delighted to benefit from his generosity. Mark will be sponsoring our Invitation Rink Competition on 16th July this year and that will help make the prize money well worth winning. His commitment to supporting the local community has been quite exemplary.

Like sponsorship, the contribution of volunteers has become an essential factor in our survival. We are committed to keeping our Club open 7 nights a week but with income falling we can only do that with voluntary workers. I should like to thank therefore that small group of members who have acted as bar workers throughout the winter. I won’t name them – they know who they are – as I’ve found to my cost that naming individuals can lead to misunderstandings and embarrassment. So much so that I’m not sure how many more of these articles I will be writing. However, while I continue to do so I can assure readers that if they are looking to find any criticism of our members or our Club in these columns they will be sorely disappointed. I have only ever named individuals to thank or praise them and that will remain my policy.

Sadly, on the eve of what has been a successful Opening Day, I have to conclude by offering condolences to the family of our dear friend Bill Whitelaw who passed away on 6 April.

Charlie Husband OBE
Club President