Parky20514

Details: Published: 20 January 2001; Hits: 1501

LES J. PARKINSON'S

NEWS-REPORTS-ARTICLES

Chequer Hen, the NWCC winner from Kingsdown.

Well I am officially able to retire but that is not going to happen just yet. I cannot see myself sitting round doing next to nothing and have no real interest. From my point of view I could quite easily pass the web site on but what would I do with my time then. As things stand I shall carry on until I am not able to do the jobs that I am doing at the present moment. Yes I had a retirement party for my 65th birthday a couple of weeks ago but that was to celebrate that milestone and not to actually retire. It was nice to see around 140 present at the Kinderton Hotel, Middlewich, a place that is our local, where we had a very good buffet laid on and the regular disco, bit past that now but the younger generation enjoyed adding their quality dancing to the limited floor space allowed. Not because I organized the evening but I must say that it was a good night and people did enjoy themselves and the feedback was in my favour on that point. There was a good selection of people present whether they were pigeon fanciers or friends with no real connection to the sport. There were quite a few who asked why they had not been invited but I had to draw the line somewhere and 150 was my line; pity a handful failed to turn up as I could have invited others. Many thanks to those who attended the evening and to those who added the addition around the walls that included photos of me over the years and thanks for the presents - all were appreciated. I had a smile to myself when Carol Brown the manager of the Kinderton told me that the girls had been looking at the photos before the guests arrived and they thought I looked younger now than I did 20yrs ago. Made me wonder whether I should have had the party or kept quiet.

Stray
I very often get emails about stray pigeons. Most I just give a quick reply because they are only short one liners. "Dear Sir, I am unable to use the reporting method as P.C. not responding. At 7.30 a.m. this morning I found a white pigeon in my orchard, now hanging out with my chickens. It has a green ring on one leg and a yellow ring on the other. It took off and did a circuit and then landed again so can fly. My address is Longcroft Boarding Kennels, Staker Lane, Mickleover, Derby. DE3 0DJ. Will probably join chickens for breakfast; hope it makes its way home. Regards, Rosemary," I have sent the lady an email explaining about pigeons and it will go when it gets the energy back.

North West Classic

The first race of the season for the NWCC was an open race held from Kingsdown when 64 members entered 768 birds. This was a good start to the season for the club who are looking in better shape than they have done for quite some time. Mark Cliffe with the help of better half Laura are doing a good job so let's hope the trend continues into the series of club races that start on the 31st May from Carentan, remember you can join the club at any time during the season. 1st Open 1st section C. Harrison & Hull. When I ask for information on winner's I say write as much as you want and this is what I got from Janet Hull on their NWCC performance and this is what we like, the more the merrier. " For the first year since Dave got ill in 2008 we are racing a full complement of pigeons including a team of hens which were handpicked for their potential to compete across the channel. These yearling hens have never been paired and are being raced celibate on a jealousy type of system. They are exercised round home daily, flying at will for between 1hr to some days having to be called in when nearing 2hrs. They have raced on a Saturday and have had 3 long 100-mile training tosses in total since the season began courtesy of Phil Brown Transport and his midweek-racing programme. They raced on the Saturday from Mangotsfield 155 miles in Lymm Federation arriving home just a bit off the pace of the first widowhood cocks but not in disgrace finishing 23rd Fed out of 1908 birds doing 1611ypm. They were immaculate on their return having had nothing took out of them so were subsequently fed up with our widowhood mix to which we added bitter stimulant powder and they were left to rest. They were then basketed the following day for the NWCC Kingsdown race, which is 209 miles to us. We set off down to the Middlewich marking station where there was a good turnout and plenty of banter and laughter. It still feels decidedly strange not having to do any work when being at a NWCC race, but at least now we get to have a chat with fellow competitors whilst waiting for the birds to be marked. This is our first year flying on ETS and having experienced problems with it at our loft and Bricon being unable to solve the problem we were a bit apprehensive at sending on a Bricon clock that was being set using a Unikon Master. Anyway we had the correct lead, thank goodness, and the marking team soon had them raced marked for us. We then had a good 10 minutes chat with our pal Rita O’Hare and her helper Joyce Latham not forgetting Secretary Mark Cliffes’ partner Laura, all of whom were taking payment for entries and pools and completing all the necessary paperwork. The birds were liberated in a south wind but from the forecast we knew there was plenty of east in it which was just what we needed for a good one. With us flying in the west and being a westerly race point we were losing between 5 and 7 miles over fly on the majority of our competitors based on the normal central race points such as Portland or Poole so the east in the wind would help. However, our pigeon was doing a velocity much faster than our expectations and we were caught out again for the third time this season. This is where ETS comes into its own no scrambling for the clock and panic rushing to time in as long as its switched on your sorted. The hen that came to win 1st Open is a Janssen bred from Champion stock cock Tommy who is the sire and Grandsire of multiple prize winners particularly those competing in specialist type racing. These include 3rd breeder buyer 9th Open NEHU Futurity 2008 raced by B & K Simpson winning £1746.17. Of the four children direct off Tommy entered into the 2007 and 2009 NEHU Futurity races three of them also drew prize money in the race. Tommy is also the sire of Frenchie Barcelona a bird we entered into John and Lou McGees’ Barcelona One Loft Challenge where she flew the world’s most prestigious race The Barcelona International three times. In 2011 she was 2nd One Loft featuring well up in the French National Result and the International Hens Result and in 2012 she was 8th One Loft. Tommy is a 2003 cock whose half sister won 1st Open North West Grand National Young Bird Ventnor race for us back in 1999. Another sibling of Tommy this time a full brother won 1st Open Preston 2 Bird Championship Club from Vire in 1998. The Janssen’s we race today have been kept as a family and we can trace the origins back to the 1970’s when Dad first introduced the Janssen’s. He them purchased a number of Betty De Bryun Janssen’s who was thought by many to have some of the best Janssen pigeons at stock and year on year this family have produced winners for us. Tommy is G/G/G/GSon of Janssen Brothers Oude Witoger 65 and Jonge Raket. The 1st open winners Dam is Double Diamond who is bred from a full brother to Tommy’s Sire making her also g-g-g-granddaughter of Oude Witoger 65 and Jonge Raket. Double Diamond is the dam of many 1st prize winners and a full sister to Double Trouble Ace Channel Bird North West Classic Club 2007 after winning at Messac 2 x 2nd and 3rd Section West and 3rd 4th and 23rd Open. We use Vanrobaeys Corn supplied by Roger and Pat Sutton of Astbury Pigeon Supplies, we feed a number of different mixes to our race birds combining 3 diet type mixes and 4 widowhood mixed in various proportions. We also use 4 different types of maize in order to give our birds as much choice as is possible. After all not everyone likes Brussels sprouts and we find pigeons are no different. We would like to thank Mark Smith who kindly helps us out with collecting it for us it’s a massive help to us. We choose not to give our birds any blind treatments so we don’t treat routinely for cocci, canker, worms and the other stuff that many insist you have to treat for in order to win races. We get our birds checked by Gary Spavin of Lancaster on a regular basis although we don’t find that after using Gary for 10 years now we very rarely see a problem. We use Spavins herbal teas all year round which we find does help to maintain our birds good general health and good feather quality. We also use some of the tinctures of Gary’s in particularly the sinus nasal drops which we use pre season, and another must have product is the heart and circulation which we find invaluable during the moult. Apart for this the only other thing we use is fresh garlic, which is home grown by us and is used ad lib with the herbal teas" Thanks Janet. We now move on to 2nd Open 2nd section C. John Dugdale who has requested no publicity. 3rd open 3rd section C. Steve Radcliffe. I had a talk to Steve about his pigeons and he was telling me that the blue cock that collected his first prize racing in this race is from the pigeons off George Hilson when his previous partnership was dissolved a few years ago. He went on to say that George doesn't give a great deal of information with the birds so what he could tell me was a bit limited. They are fed on the Vanrobaeys Classic 39 mix and they get as much as they want. There is a total of 40 widowhood cocks that had three tosses before the season started and are now just exercised twice a day around home for an hour each time. They have not done bad so far in the early part of the season with 3x1sts plus several other prizes in the first three. 4th Open 1st section A Brian Littlewood. I was surprised to see Brian win the section on a land race because I have always known him for his very good performances in the longer races especially at National level. The section winner is a gift bird from Glenn Moore who was saying that Brian is one of the gentlemen of this great sport of ours' plus a very good friend of Glenn's. This pigeon came about because Brian introduced Glenn to his very good lifelong friends Brian & Thelma Denny and on this visit he was overwhelmed with the quality of Brian's long distance family. As we all know one of Brian's best pigeons is the well known "Tuff Nut" who is a phenomenal cock with his blood running through the loft. These birds that were brought over to the Stockport area have become known as Glenn Denny's. This red schallie cock now know as "The Red Barron" has breeding second to none for the distance races which is why I was surprised at this one taking 1st section A 4th open against 768 selected birds. The sire of "The Red Barron" is out of a son of "Tuff Nut" x "Betty M" granddaughter of 1st NFC Pau crossed with a daughter of "Tuff Nut" x "Lucy". The dam of "The Red Barron" is out of a son of "Morning Glory" 1st section 2nd open Pau NFC 3,041 birds crossed with a daughter of "Little Margaret" 1st open NFC Pau. When you study the breeding you are not going to get much better. It will be interesting to see how Brian goes on with such a well bred racing pigeon. 5th Open 2nd section A. Wignall & Barnie The bird is a two year old dark chequer Cock flown by Wignall & Barnie which is on widowhood. It is the first time he has been in the prizes, although he did fly the programme most consistently last year, as a yearling and went on to Carenten in the Midland National after that he was then stopped for him to mature. As a young bird he went missing in his first race, and took a few days to return taking a while to put his weight back on, but because of his breeding and quality he was given a chance and selected to go into the widowhood team the following year. He is bred down from two RPRA award winners. His bloodlines originating from the Lowick Bros which was a gift bird from Holland. Patrick Bros and The Niort Hen. His next race will be again with the NWCC from Seaton then hopefully on to France. 6th Open 4th section C. Graeme Marskell whose first pigeon from Kingsdown is a blue pied hen with the next being a grizzle cock who was also 7th Open last year in the NWCC. The blue pied which finished 4th Section 6th Open is a Roland Janssen hen from the line of Thundercloud on the sires side and Super Kweeker 11 on the dams side both pigeons being grandchildren of those pigeons. She has won prizes in club racing including 2nd club 5th fed from Niort 519miles 10hrs30mins on the wing not bad for a supposed sprint pigeon. She also scored well in the Diamond Jubilee race from Carentan 309 miles. Unfortunately she damaged her wing early last season and didn't race at all that year but the rest doesn't seem to have done her any harm as she has been consistent this season being in the first few home each race. This was her fifth race of the year and she was sent to this race having come well on the Saturday (the day before basketing for this race) so she was left her with her mate until late Saturday night with her bowl and some nesting material. She was then taken away and returned to the box 1 hour before basketing on the Sunday so she could carry on with the nest building. This seems to have made her keen to return and was a change for her as she is normally raced on the roundabout and only having an hour or 2 with her mate after the return from the race. She is exercised every morning and evening and will have the odd training toss if Graeme thinks’ she need's it. 1st section B 8th Open Mr & Mrs Burnett & Sons. This bird is a Vandenabeele x Jan Aarden it's won 1st club 1st Two Counties, 4th Three Counties Combine from Fourgeres last year. This winner is a sister to the pigeon that won the Bamford Gold Ring section 2011. This is a good line with a brother being 9th section Midland National FC from Chale in 2013 having won the West section with a Gervate only sending these two birds. These birds have been good all round pigeons for the partnership and they expect them to carry on winning for years to come. The white pigeon, see photo, that came 4th section is bred from a son off the famous Film star of the late Frank Tasker. There have been hawk attack's at these lofts and they are currently attacking their young birds on a regular basis. Only on the Tuesday after the Kingsdown race they lost 25 young birds due to hawks and only got 14 birds back. John was saying that its a good job they have bred some late breds. This is not good but they will keep on trying but as with anyone it is a case of how much they can take of these hawk attacks, who knows. John also sent me a short phone video of hawk attack when the grizzle did not survive the ordeal. There was also another attack when John was trying to get the bird from under the caravan. John went on to say that he would like to wish all the other fanciers all the best for the remaining year's racing. 2nd section B 10th Open Mr & Mrs D W Cox with a chequer hen off John Anck secretary of the Three Counties Combine. This one was also 3rd Wigan 2B as a young bird last season 3hrs 2mins 53secs on the wing. Darren was saying that he looks up to one of the local fanciers Andy Noon who is an excellent fancier who with his partner Geoff Callen race a real good pigeon in the Warrington area. This is a good working partnership with Darren's wife Joan helps out a great deal with the pigeons and does clean the lofts out and anything else that is required at the time. Darren was saying that this is an old fashioned loft with no ETS as they are still on the rubbers. They also added that there was no problem with the trap she went straight in and no messing about. 3rd section B 12th Open Kenny Burke and Gary Hodkinson It’s unusual but we have no information on this one but perhaps we can add something in future reports. Gary does work away at times so that may be the case why I have had no response. 3rd section A 20th open Gerry Clements with a chequer cock unraced as a young bird 2 races as a yearling and having his 2nd race of the season. He is not really bred for inland racing but hoping he carries on the good work. His sister won the North West Classic Gold ring race while he is brother to "Five Live" who scored 3 times in the N.F.C. before being taken by the hawk as a 2year old he is also brother to "Face Book" and "Twitter" names given to them by Ray Bullen because of their performances in the Lancashire Social Circle. "Face Book" won bird of the year and along with "Twitter" won the best 2bird average all races with another sister winning 5th sect L 88th Open N.F.C. Fourgers they are all bred from "606" (see photo) one of my best racers who flew 500mls 5 times on the day. The dam is a daughter from Chris Gordon`s "Express" 1st Sect 1st Open N.F.C. Tarbes 725mls. Gerry is one of the most prominent winning fanciers in the country and is more interested in the National racing nowadays. I have written quite a bit about Gerry and his pigeons over the years all based on winning performances that appear to go on and on year after year.

John Burnett with 1st section B NWCC

John Burnett with 4th section B NWCC

Graeme Marskell's blue pied hen

Graeme Marskell's grizzle cock

Blue cock Tommy, sire of the NWCC winner.

Blue Cock "606" sire of Gerry Clements 3rd section Kingsdown NWCC

Mr & Mrs D W Cox are 2nd section 10th open

Club/Fed News

In the Middlewich FC race from Mangotsfield the top two positions go to Dickens & Wilkinson with a blue cock and blue pied hen recording vels of 1859/1853ypm. Alan Groom is 3rd with a Van Den Bosche blue cock recording a vel of 1841ypm with O'Hare & Woodward 4th after seeing home a Staf Van Reet chequer hen on 1822ypm. In the Middlewich 5B were at Frome when Mr & Mrs Dave Healey clocked a chequer cock on 1847ypm ahead of Alan Groom who clocked one of his Van Den Bosche, this 2yo blue widowhood cock. O'Hare & Woodward are 3rd with a Staf Van Reet on 1841ypm followed by Mark & Heather Smith who saw home a 5yo Staf Van Reet on 1828ypm. "The Winsford members sent a total of 312 birds to the two races. It is beginning to look as if the members are favoring the racing being provided by Diane Bonny and Keith Iddon. In the South West race from Frome 184 birds were entered and continuing his excellent start to the season is Richard Ormandy who came out on top with a velocity of 1850ypm with a Dean Pallet x Mr & Mrs A. Austin Lambrecht. The Sire being a direct Dean Pallet Staf Van Reet and the dam from the Albert Austin Lambrecht lines, bred in the stock loft. Richard also takes second place, vel 1849ypm with a Dean Pallet bred Marc Capelle bought in a batch of six the dam is also from Dean Pallet stock. In third place, with the same cock as last week are Mr & Mrs A. Austin Vel 1848ypm. Albert & Margarita have won two races and topped the federation both times. Well done. In fourth, with a yearling are Lionel & John Goostrey with a vel 1845ypm, this bird being a Herman Cousters x Vanwildemeersch in its first years racing. The Nom was won by H. Bratt & Son (must have been on Man City). The club entered 128 birds into the race with Mid-Cheshire race from Mangotsfield. Taking the field apart was the Jones Bros team with a winning velocity of 1856ypm with a yearling chequer hen, which was 6th last week and also had 2x2nd last year, for this race sent on sitting chipping eggs. In second place, vel 1831ypm are again Jones Bros with a yearling blue cock which picked up a fourth prize last year, racing widowhood. Jones Bros are also in 3rd position on 1816ypm, with a yearling chequer cock, this one had a couples of prizes last year and is also the nest mate to the winner, they are all from their very good family of Andre Clemens. In fourth position was Richard Ormandy, vel 1811ypm with a full sister to the winning pigeon in the South West fed race and is a Dean Pallet x Albert Austin Lambrecht. The race nom was won by Harry Vernon. It was interesting to note that nine out of the first ten in the two races are yearlings. The club members are racing fantastically well having twice topped the Federation, also taking other good positions in the top 10. It is getting harder to win races but that is what is required, the higher the competition the better the racing. I send my congratulations to Curtis Wall Lunt for two outstanding results in Mid-Cheshire. Mel Bratt Winsford PO" Peter & Mike Child are keeping them on their toe's in the Moulton club by taking 1st 2nd & 4th in the latest race from Mangotsfield when 8 members sent 127 birds. Their three pigeons recorded vels of 1841/1838/1785.2ypm with a chequer cock followed by a blue cock and then another chequer cock. 3rd goes to Mr & Mrs Roy Croxton who saw home a grizzle cock on 1785.7ypm. In the Rudheath race from Mangotsfield when 157 birds were entered by 13 members when the red card went to Ian Cooper who clocked a 2yo blue cock that recorded a vel of 1578ypm to also win the nom. Malcolm Hewitt is 2nd on 1576ypm after seeing home a 2yo blue cock while Derek Woodward is 3rd on 1563.81ypm with a chequer cock ahead of a mealy cock racing home to the lofts of Frank Lockwood & Ann Curbishley recording a vel of 1563.01ypm. The club then went to Mangotsfield when 11 members entered 133 birds that were liberated at 9am in a west south west wind. Ian Cooper followed up his previous weeks win with another red card after seeing home a 2yo chequer pied cock from his old well established Busschaert that have served him well for many years, the winning vel was 1860ypm. B & G Mainwaring are 2nd with a yearling chequer pied cock on 1847ypm that is bred from George's old family crossed with the Black Ebony lines. 3rd goes to Jimmy Smith on 1836ypm with a yearling blue hen followed home by a 3yo blue cock racing to the lofts of Malcolm Hewitt with a vel of 1836ypm. The Rudheath members are having a good season in the Wrekin Fed and in the Cheltenham race Kenny Burke took the first three in the fed with 1st going to a Koopman/Van Dyke yearling hen. 2nd goes to a 2yo Jan Aarden/Van Houtte and 3rd is another Koopman/Van Dyke. Then in the next race Derek Woodward also took the top three positions with his family of Peter Fox based stock, they were all blue cocks off the Favorite Son/Golden Gaby pairing. The latest race for the West Coast Fed was from Monmouth when 1352 birds were liberated at 9am in a fresh south west wind. The Kirkham & Wesham club supplied this week’s winners when the partnership of J Hassall & Jackson topped the list by just over one yard. Tom's Roskell & Williamson had a good race with 2nd 7th 15th 16th 17th and two on the same velocity to the third decimal place being 20th so will also take 21st and in the process also won the Stalmine & district club. Paul Fisher & Son who are rarely behind also had a good race collecting 3rd 4th 18th & 19th fed with their leading entries being in Queens Inv. JA Devalle won the Staining HS and enter the fed in 5th position just ahead of the Blackpool Col winner Mick Barlow. There were some close positions in this race when Blane, Edge & Blane won the Fleetwood HS and picked up 8th fed. Ron & Shirley Mott are 9th less than half a yard in front of Mr & Mrs H Pearson are 10th & 11th, J Stockton 12th, G Dodd 13th and C Jones 14th. Club winners missing out on the top 20 plus one this week are Mr & Mrs Holloway & Family in the Fleetwood & District. Cornell Lofts who won the Marton Village while the Thornton & Cleveleys winners are C Mellor & Son. The South West Cheshire Fed race from Frome saw 58 members enter 821 birds that were liberated at 9am in a west south west wind. "Badger" otherwise known as Mr & Mrs Richard Young are this weeks winner's and are also 4th from their entries with the strong Crewe West End club. Mick & Wendy Mellor also clocked two on the result to finish 2nd & 7th with Greenbank winner Dave Jenks being 3rd fed. Mr & Mrs Roy Parker & Son are 5th finishing just in front of Hankelow winner Joe Glover still winning after well over 60yrs racing and winning 1st prizes. Mick Stockton clocked two close together in 8th & 9th positions with Winsford winner Richard Ormandy being 10th, Richard has certainly got the pigeons going, they are flying well for him. Just the Middlewich 5B missing out on the top ten which was won by Mr & Mrs Dave Healey. John Lawson is always reliable for up to date news and this week the first news from him is on the Cheshire FC race from Mangotsfield when 10 members sent 173 birds. Dan Risley had another good race this week taking 1st club with a blue yearling cock on 1598ypm. Don is also 2nd with a 2yo blue widowhood cock recording a vel of 1564ypm. Both set's or parents of 1st & 2nd were bred by Frank (Micky) Dixon of Wallasey on the Wirrall and are a cross of the Anton Reynaert Figo line and Dirk Barbrys lines. Bill Mather who is having a good season with several positions in the first three is 3rd club in this race with a blue pencil raced on the widowhood to record a vel of 1560ypm. The club then went to another Mangotsfield race when 10 send 136 birds. 1st & 2nd club go to Bill Mather with his first bird in the clock being a blue Vandenabeele cock recording a vel of 1833ypm bred from Bill's Ponderosa Stud stock. Bill then clocked a blue Willy Van Houtte cross Van Dyke cock on 1825ypm and a winner last season. Bill also takes the clun nom with his third bird that finished 6th. Don Risley maintains his good run being 3rd in this race with a blue cock recording a vel of 1823ypm. Next news from John is for the Kingsway club who were also at Mangotsfield when 10 members sent 237 birds. 1st club goes to Andy Noon & Geoff Callan with a blue Janssen hen racing on the widowhood and home bred from their A & S Hughes stock that have done well for them. This hen who topped the Lymm Fed last season was the partnerships only entry. Mr & Mrs J Jones are 2nd club with a widowhood cock on 1571ypm with John Hill being 3rd club after clocking a blue hen on 1566ypm being bred from the Janssen lines. The club then went to another Mangotsfield race with an entry of 133 birds being sent by 8 members. for the second week in succession Andy Noon & Geoff Callen take the red card with the same blue Janssen hen as last week. This was again the partnerships only entry in the race and as stated a previous fed winner and in this race records a vel of 1856ypm. Mr & Mrs Jim Jones are 2nd club with a chequer widowhood cock on 1845ypm. Jim's bird is bred from the Janssen cross Walter Docx lines and was also a winner last season. Steve Cooke is 3rd 4th & 5th club his first bird home being a blue yearling cock on 1830ypm. In the Sandbach FC 8 members sent 147 birds to the second old bird race from Mangotsfield when the red card went to Eric Taylor with a 2yo Van De Rhees widowhood cock recording a vel of 1889ypm. 2nd & 3rd go to John Allbutt on 1886/1870ypm after seeing home a 2yo blue cock and a 4yo blue w/f cock both being raced on the widowhood, the second in the clock is also a winner of 1st club 8th fed Cheltenham. Mick Stockton is 4th with a yearling chequer widowhood cock and is from the Houben/Marcellis stock and finished this race on 1845ypm. The Mid Cheshire Fed saw 90 members send 1399 birds to Mangotsfield when the birds were liberated at 9am in a south west wind. Curtiss, Wall & Lunt maintain their good run in the fed by taking the top three positions all being clocked in just 4 seconds with their entries in the Acton Bridge club. Crewe Premier winners Manley & Lloyd are 4th & 19th with Sandbach winner Eric Taylor 5th followed by fellow club member John Allbutt finishing 6th & 7th. Rudheath saw Ian cooper secure top spot in the club and along the way finish 8th fed. Middlewich winners Dickens & Wilkinson collected three cards in this race and they are 9th 15th & 17th fed. 10th goes to Dave & Baz Mellor who are also 14th fed. Mr & Mrs Jimmy Bennett are 11th just ahead of Kingsway winners Andy Noon & Geoff Callen in 12th position. Winsford winners Jones Bros are 13th with Martin Williams is 16th, B&G Mainwaring 18th and Wrinehill winner Joe Glover 20th. Other club winners are Bill Mather in the Cheshire FC while Peter & Mike Child did likewise in the Moulton FC.

Kenny Burke & Derek Woodward who both took 1st 2nd & 3rd in two recent races with the Wrekin Fed.

Photos

We have a few photos this week taken at my recent 65th birthday party at the Kinderton Hotel, Middlewich. There's one of me cutting the cake and what a well baked cake it was. I had to add the one of my mate George Mainwaring in court at his table, I don't know whose attention he was getting because whoever it was did not appear on the photo, have to have a word with my photographer, can't sack her though. It was nice to see Beryl Harrison there with Dave & Janet. On the night we had a raffle for a couple of large bottles of Brandy & Whiskey with 100% of the takings going to the Ichthyosis Support Group, I caught Beryl having a laugh so a quick photo was taken. So we have added a photo of Ebony in her fancy head jewellery with cousin and one of my godson's Kieran with his mother Alicia also getting in and the photo. Ebony is the one who suffers with the Icthyosis skim problem so we need to help the charity as much as possible.