1) We are now taking bookings for the Christmas Party rally 2011 for details click here to go to rally diary or down load a booking form here. Limited pitches. - Book early to secure. The artistes and themes are listed on the rally diary Page.
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2)
COUNTRY & WESTERN GROUP - THE WAY FORWARD
From the Chair Man:
Thank you to all the members who returned their completed questionnaires. Of the 88 that were sent out, 56 members responded. The result is that committee recommendation number two attracted the overwhelming majority of votes (62%) and therefore the group will adopt the following strategy.
- To strive to reduce costs by sometimes using cheaper but possibly less convenient sites and to not always employ a live artist.
- No longer charge on a “van per night” basis as this has made rallies prohibitively expensive for single persons . The group should charge on a “per person per night” basis.
- Increase fees to give an average “break even” result. Your committee have calculated that for the coming year the Group will charge £9.00 per person per night.
The other results regarding our rally finances were:-
30% voted for recommendation 1 which was the same as the above but did not include the change to charging “per person per night” rather than the current “per van per night” arrangement.
21% thought that the Group should keep the fees the same and reduce costs by using CDs and/or iPods for music and have no DJ, no live artist and use cheaper but less convenient sites.
9% thought that the Group should continue with the past arrangements for rallies and increase the charge to £21.00 per van per night to cover the costs.
Votes for the general questions:-
80% attend the Country & Western Rallies because they like Country music, recorded or live.
73% attend the Country & Western Rallies because they like the other folks there.
69% would attend more Country & Western Rallies but it is often too far for them to travel.
68% attend the Country & Western Rallies because they like the dancing.
55% attend the Country & Western Rallies because there is always something going on.
50% attend the Country & Western Rallies as they like the live entertainment.
23% would attend more Country & Western Rallies but they have other things to do.
5% would attend more Country & Western Rallies but it is too expensive.
Other suggestions or comments:-
*The cost of single person should be greater than half as they use same parking. *Try charging per person. Not too many artists. *Make savings without DJ. *A DJ is not needed if facilities are available within the group. *Use club halls with bar (no charge), single artists and newer artists are cheaper. *Could we not rally at other Country Music Festivals like Cotswold and Calne? *In summer we should rally in fields with generator for music, CD, iPod etc. *When we rally together at M/Home shows etc. charge a £2.00 rally fee towards fur funds.
Verification of Results:-
The voting forms and results have kindly been scrutinised and verified by members Don and Mo Northcott from Bodmin who are not members of the committee.
Thanks you to all members who replied, to Mel Harvey for giving the completed forms to me and to Don and Mo Northcott for being scrutineers.
Roger England
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3) In 2011 the national rally & AGM will be at Kelso Showground commencing 2nd June. See below for a pre-National rally at Kelso. (item 7) Home craft competition categories are as follows:-
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1. WINE: 1A, STRAWBERRY. 1B, MARROW. 1C, GOOSEBERRY. 1D, PEAPOD & ELDERFLOWER.
2. WOMEN ONLY CAKE: DUNDEE (recipe given)
3. MEN ONLY CAKE: GINGERBREAD CAKE (recipe given)
4. CHILDREN. SCOTTISH TABLET FUDGE (CHILDREN TO BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT AT ALL TIMES) (recipe given)
5. ANYONE. SHORTBREAD (recipe given)
6. ANYONE. A SPRAY of SUGAR FLOWERS: ( Edible) Displayed on a 7” cake board.
7. WOMEN ONLY. RECYCLE: make something from : an OLD DUVET any size or a HAT, BITS OF MATERIAL, BUTTONS or RIBBONS. Not more than 12” high. The Duvet can be any size. You can make a pram set, a snuggle bag, a coat anything you like. You can then cover it in what you like, for example, material, fleece or any other covering, even ribbons.
The 12” applies to everything else.
You could use a hat to make another hat or waste bin or a handbag, covering by choice.
Alternatively you could make something from bits of material or a plain piece of material with a design of button or ribbons.
Don’t forget a photo of before.
8. MEN ONLY. RECYCLE: NUTS BOLTS SCREWS COGS, PIECES OF WOOD, RING PULLS. A photograph of the before would be great. Not more than 12" high
9. CROSS STITCH or EMBROIDERY. Any size cross stitch. The frame to be no bigger than 11" by 11" with a coloured (your choice) border of 1". Please keep to a Scottish theme. Eg. Heather, Thistles.
10. PHOTOGRAPH: THEME SCOTLAND. On a card with 1" border of any colour. 10” x 8”
11. PAINTING: THEME SCOTLAND. No bigger than 11" by 11" or the nearest you can get with a small canvas. Castles and Lochs.
12. HAND KNITTED JUMPER FOR AN ADULT. Made with oddments of wool. Cuffs, Rib and border can be all the same colour. Use your own pattern.
13. GROUP ENTRY: SCOTTISH THEME:
Back drop of Castle, Hills, Loch, Thistles and Heather .
Use all eight of the items mentioned. Aberdeen Angus Bull. Haggis. “One empty miniature whisky bottle”. ( It can be filled with a coloured liquid to make it look realistic). Poem. Man playing Bagpipes, Kilt, Cross Swords and a Person Dancing. All items to be handmade, except miniature bottle.
The items to be displayed on an AREA of 10" wide x 20" long x 10” high.
Take a piece of wood or cardboard or anything similar. Make holes in each corner and one in the middle back. Then make some pillars from doweling to fit in the holes. This is to make it so that it can come apart and is easier for travelling. The sides and back can be attached as a back drop. The backdrop includes the 2 sides, the front and top are open. Any material or card can be used. Remember to keep to the sizes. |
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| RECIPE' FOR DUNDEE CAKE |
| 300g Plain Flour |
100g Blanched Almonds |
| 1 tsp Cinnamon |
(50g chopped 50g for decoration) |
| 1 tsp Mixed Spice |
4 Eggs |
| ½ tsp Salt |
4 Tablespoons of Milk, Sherry or Brandy |
| 100g Candid Peel |
Grated rind of 1 Lemon |
| 100g Glace’ Cherries |
200g Margarine |
| 480g Currants |
1 Tablespoon of Black Treacle |
| 200g Sultanas |
200g Demerara Sugar |
| 200g Raisins |
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Prepare 8" or 20.5cm cake tin.
Cooking time. 3 to 5 hours. |
1. Put all the dry ingredients together.
2. Add Candid Peel, Cherries, Chopped Almonds and Lemon Rind.
3. Whisk Eggs with Milk Sherry or Brandy.
4. Cream Margarine, Demerara Sugar and Black Treacle until soft.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the to the Egg mixture alternately to the Margarine Mixture.
6. Stir in the fruit.
7. Put in 8" or 20.5cm round cake tin.
8. Tie a double band of brown paper around the outside of the tin.
9. Add Almonds on top of the mixture
10. Oven Temperatures. 170c 325f, gas mark 3, for the first one and a half hours.
Then reduce to 140c 275f, gas mark 1, After the next one and a half hours, or until a wooden cocktail stick, inserted into the centre, comes out clean.
RECIPE’ FOR GINGERBREAD CAKE
| 7 ½ oz (235g) plain flour |
3oz/90g unsalted butter at room temperature |
| ¾ tsp baking powder |
4oz/125g firmly packed dark brown sugar |
| 1 ½ tsp ground ginger |
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| 1 tsp ground cinnamon |
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| ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg |
2 large eggs, at room temperature |
| ¼ tsp salt |
1 tsp finely grated orange zest |
| 5 ½ oz (170g) light molasses |
4 fl oz (125 ml) warm water |
Preheat the oven to 350F (180 c).
Lightly grease an 8 inch (20cm) square baking dish and dust with flour.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well blended. Set aside.
In another bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together the butter and brown sugar until well blended and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, until just blended. Add the zest and beat until blended.
Continue beating while slowly adding the molasses.
Sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg mixture and stir until just incorporated.
Add the water and stir until blended.
Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
Bake until the gingerbread is puffed and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
Let cool on a rack.
SCOTTISH TABLET FUDGE:
CHILDREN TO BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT AT ALL TIMES
1tin of condensed milk.
½ fill empty tin with normal milk.
2lb Sugar.
1 large knob of butter.
Well greased tray.
Put the ingredients into a saucepan, gentle melt and slowly bring to the boil, stir well all the time.
Turn the heat low but keep mixture boiling for 20 to 25 minutes.
Just before pouring into a well greased tray add a few drops of vanilla essence.
Stir and allow to cool for 30 minutes, and then cut into squares.
TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD:
100g Plain flour.
50g Caster sugar.
100g Butter.
50g Semolina.
1. Set the oven to 160C / Gas 2.
Place all the ingredients together in a food processor and whizz until the mixture forms a smooth dough.
This can be done by hand in a bowl using soft butter.
Roll the shortbread out to form a circle with a 20cm diameter and flute the edge. (Alternatively, press into a 20cm loose bottom cake tin.)
Prick gently with a fork and score the surface of the round into 8 even wedges. Sprinkle with caster sugar.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until firm and golden.
Set aside to cool a little, but cut into wedges while still slightly warm.
Store in an airtight tin. |
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| HOMECRAFT WINE LIST 2010 – 2012 inclusive |
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| 2011 |
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| 1A STRAWBERRY WINE |
1B GOOSEBERRY WINE |
| 1C MARROW WINE |
1D PEAPOD & ELDERFLOWER WINE |
| 2012 |
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| 1A TROPICAL FRUIT WINE |
1B CRAB APPLE WINE |
| 1C WALLFLOWER WINE |
1D WHEAT WINE |
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| 4) Head office has moved to:- |
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| 1st Floor Office, Wood Farm Estate, Marlbank Road, Welland, Malvern, WR13 6NA |
| Tel: 01684 311677 |
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5) Graph showing location of members
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6) Retirement flat for sale in Cornwall. Click on link to view details. Two retirement flats (1 bedroomed & 2 Bedroomed). You need to be 55yrs young to qualify. Maintainance is taken care of. - Handy if you like going away for long periods of time. There is also plenty of parking. The development also boasts communal gardens, parking and also benefits from a 24 hour resident house manager, and a guest flat for your visitors. (You can also book any guest flat in a McCarthey & Stone property at a nominal rent all around the country. - Handy for visiting friends or a short trip).
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7) We have been offered our own camping area at the Kelso Country music festival May 20th - 22nd 2011. Handy if you want to get to the National early. Tour round local sights and make a holiday of it. Links to local attractions within half hour drive of Kelso are here. For a list of borders camp sites click here.
Kelso Country Music Festival boasts many well known artistes; fast draw competitions; line dance lessons; chuck wagon; licensed bar (Western prices). Indoor Venue, disabled friendly. Children under 5 free; We are currently negotiating a group booking price; but as a guide the prices 2010 are camping £15 plus an adult weekend ticket is £40.00; 2 day ticket £30.00; 5-15year old weekend ticket £15.00; 2 day ticket £12.00.
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8) The world-wide emergency number from a mobile phone is 112. This can even be dialled if your phone is "locked". The phone will search for the nearest network.
Have you locked your keys in the van? - Does your van/car have a remote keyless entry? If you have locked your keys in the van and your spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their mobile phone number from your mobile phone. Hold your phone about a foot from the van/car door and have the person at home press the unlock button, holding it near the phone on their end. Your van/car will unlock. Saves someone driving your keys to you.
Flat mobile phone? Need to make an urgent/emergency call? You have a hidden reserve within your mobile battery. To activate, press keys *3370#. Your mobile will restart and show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your phone next time.
Disable a stolen mobile phone. First store your mobile phones unique handset number. To access this key in the following digits on your mobile phone. *#06# A 15 digit serial number will appear on the screen. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. If your phone gets stolen, you can phone your mobile service provider and give them this code. They will then block your handset, so that even if the thief changes the sim card your phone will be totally useless. It cannot be used or sold.
ATM pin number reversal. - If you should ever be forced to withdraw money from an ATM machine, you can notify the police by entering your PIN in reverse. For example; if your pin number is 1234 then you would put in 4321. The ATM system recognises that your number is backwards. It will still pay out the requested amount, but unknown to the robber, the police will be immediately dispatched to the location. ( not a good idea if your number is 3663 for example)!
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