NEWS FROM SCOTLAND
Reports by Joe Murphy
Received a note from Alex Wilson from Leswalt by Stranraer ages ago but due to time and trying to catch up with a backlog of work for the column I have not had time to respond. He wrote: ‘Just a short not to thank you for putting in the result of the Scottish One Loft Race ‘Join our sport campaign’ in your column. I thought it was a great idea and put it forward the local school to try and get the kids interested in pigeons. As you can see from the photographs, the kids enjoyed it when I took some birds along to the school.’ Alex sent in the following note from the school. Leswalt Primary school in Stranraer has already achieved national recognition through their annual participation in the Big Pedal, virtual cycling race. Now they have been added to another national award by taking part and winning in pigeon racing. Mr Alex Wilson a parent from the school, volunteered to enter 3 pigeons in the Scottish One Loft race in 2013 joining the ‘Join Our Sport Campaign’. This event was designed to promote pigeon racing among children, and the birds were entered under the name of Leswalt Primary. The pupils in school received photographs of their birds and a competition was held in the school to name them. A website was set up so that the pupils could log in and check the progress of their pigeons in the Scottish one loft race. Aiyanna Wilson from Primary 6 was the pigeon expert in school and she also provided regular updates as to how the birds were getting on. Everyone was delighted when the final race was won by a racing pigeon from Leswalt Primary winning the school the fantastic sum of £350. The school has since asked Mr Wilson what he would like the prize money spent on and all he asked is that the school provides a ‘treat for the children’.
My thanks to Alex for the above and photographs and it is a pity that the Scotland One Loft Race is not going ahead this year and Billy Holland should be congratulated on all the work he did in promoting the sport. It is just a pity he did not get planning permission to put up the big lofts he had built but at least he tried.
Mr Wilson with pupils from Leswalt Primary
Leswalt primary children
Pupils with a pigeon
Centenary Race
As many of you will know, this is the centenary of the First World War and the Scottish National will be holding their race from Ypres on 5th of July 2014. My good friend John Tyerman has informed me that the BICC officials and committee felt that Ypres for them was just too short a fly as Kent members would only be flying 40 miles? So what they are doing is to nominate probably Poitiers as their 'Centenary race’ to commemorate the event. The annual general meeting was held at the weekend and went well and John T is still in the job as president. We discussed the ongoing drugs issue and a separate meeting open to ALL National and Specialist Clubs from all over the UK. This was scheduled for the end of February but due to the room being unavailable on the original day, it will now be held on Wednesday 5th March at the Cherwell Valley Service Station on the M40 and commencing at 11.00am. An agenda, directions, times etc. will be sent out approx. 10 days before and it is hoped that representatives of the RPRA will be in attendance. Please make every effort to ensure that your club is represented as the issue of drug/performance enhancing substances could be the curse of the sport if not addressed now. Also up for discussion will be the integrity of ETS. (The SNFC have been invited to attend). So this should be an interesting meeting as something must be done now as all the talk and ‘tittle tattle’ is not helping our sport one little bit.
Fugare
John Tyerman Ian Crammond and Douglas Owen from Dumfries are off to the Fugare in a couple of weeks’ time and my old mate Guy Reed is going with Mick Bunney to the same show and they are going to see Bernard Deweerdt so should it be a good weekend. Just a pity that I cannot go this year but I hope they all enjoy themselves.
Lanarkshire Social Circle
Received a letter and a copy of a photograph from John Barlow, who received same from Mrs Josephine MacDonough. This picture is of the Committee of the Lanarkshire Social Circle from some time in the early 1970s. John has been able to identify 8 of the 14 people in the photograph and wonders if any reader will be able to identify the others and the year this was taken.
Back row left to right. Unknown; Unknown; Andrew Hamilton; Bill Frame; Unknown; Unknown; Jim Hamilton and Adam Hamilton. Front row left to right. William Rae, Andrew Deans (secretary), Willie Wilson (President), Ian MacDonough (vice president), Unknown; Unknown.
So if anyone can add the names to these committee members then I will reprint the picture again adding in the name. My thanks to John for the letter and photograph.
Committee of the Lanarkshire Social Circle from some time in the early 1970s
Joe’s Joke
Three women die together in an accident and go to heaven. When they get there, St. Peter says, 'we only have one rule here in heaven: Don't step on the ducks!' So they enter heaven, and sure enough, there are ducks all over the place. It is almost impossible not to step on a duck, and although they try their best to avoid them, the first woman accidentally steps on one. Along comes St. Peter with the ugliest man she ever saw. St. Peter chains them together and says, 'Your punishment for stepping on a duck is to spend eternity chained to this ugly man!' The next day, the second woman steps accidentally on a duck and along comes St. Peter, who doesn't miss a thing. With him is another extremely ugly man and he chains them together, with the same admonishment as for the first woman. The third woman has observed all this and, not wanting to be chained for all eternity to an ugly man, is very, VERY careful where she steps. She manages to go months without stepping on any ducks, But one day St. Peter comes up to her with the most handsome man she has ever laid eyes on... Very tall, long eyelashes muscular and St. Peter chains them together without saying a word. The happy woman says, 'I wonder what I did to deserve being chained to you for all of eternity?' The guy says, 'I don't know about you, but I stepped on a Duck.
***
An Arab Sheik was admitted to hospital for heart surgery, but prior to the surgery, the doctors needed to store his blood in case the need arose. As the gentleman had a rare type of blood, it couldn't be found locally, so the call went out. Finally a Scotsman was located who had a similar blood type. The Scot willingly donated his blood for the Arab. After the surgery, the Arab sent the Scotsman, as appreciation for giving his blood, a new BMW, diamonds and US dollars. A couple of days later, once again, the Arab had to go through corrective surgery. His doctor telephoned the Scotsman who was more than happy to donate his blood again. After the second surgery, the Arab sent the Scotsman a Thank-you card and a box of Quality Street chocolates. The Scotsman was shocked that the Arab did not reciprocate his kind gesture as he had anticipated. He phoned the Arab and asked him, "I thought you would show your generosity again, & would give me another BMW, diamonds, and money, but you only gave me a Thank-you Card and a box of Quality Street..." To this the Arab replied, "Aye laddie, but I now have Scottish blood in ma veins..."
Please continue to keep the news flowing to Joe Murphy Mystical Rose Cottage 2 Flutorum Avenue Thornton by Kirkcaldy KY1 4BD or phone 01592 770331 or to my NEW EMAIL ADDRESS at;
