HALL CLEANING

This months cleaners are –

   3rd February Vida               17th February -  Rachel, Norette and David

 The first person on the list is the contact person for organising the cleaning date.  If you are not available for the date allocated organise a stand in and let the first person know.   

WHISTS

More names are needed for making sandwiches and baking, list in pipers room or contact John

CZECH REPUBLIC 7th to 11th AUGUST

As previously notified the band will be attending a Folk Festival in Domazlice in August, Leslie, Iain and Anne were there a couple of years ago and had a great time. Band members will have to pay their own travel from Wick to Prague, they will be picked up there by the organisers and taken to Domazlice where free food and accommodation will be provided in a college halls of residence. Partners and family are welcome on the trip but they will need to pay their own accommodation and food expenses as well as travel however it is understood that the cost of living there is very low. Those intending playing with the band should speak to Leslie or Grant and then book their flights – this can be done on line at www.jet2.com. The flight details are:

7/8/08 07.30 flight LS825 from Edinburgh arrives 10.50 Prague

11/8/08 20.40 flight LS826 from Prague arrives 22.00 Edinburgh

Flights are quite cheap just now but you have to add a fuel surcharge, pay for checked bags and there is a credit/debit card fee. It is recommended that you book your flights asap, please let John know when you have them booked.

ANNUAL DANCE 15th MARCH

The Annual Dance will be held in the Pipe Band Hall on Saturday 15th March 2008, music by Addie & Grant, catering yet to be arranged. Bring your own drinks. Tickets £10.

This is always a great night, please book your tickets with John.

RBLS BEATING RETREAT

The RBLS Beating Retreat will be taking place on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle on Sunday 18th May 2008. There is usually 12-14 pipe bands plus the RBLS brass band taking part and it is a great experience. The plan is that we will hire a bus and set off on the Saturday morning giving people some time for shopping, etc in Perth then on to the Travel Lodge at Kinross, where the family rooms can take 3 people. The band will have to pay for the accommodation so we need to get the rooms booked asap. Please let John know asap if you are wanting to go. The Sunday morning and afternoon would be taken up with rehearsals and Beating Retreat will be at 7pm, this means that the bus will probably not get away from Edinburgh until about 9pm so it will be very late arriving back in Wick

2008 PROGRAMME

The 2008 programme is attached, please note I need feedback on Saturday 19th July, there is going to be a yachting regatta thing at the harbour with a number of visiting yachts. This will not be on the same scale as last year’s Harbourfest but the band has been asked if it wants to do teas again in the fishmart and also play in the afternoon and at a ceilidh at night. Unfortunately it is the same day as the County Show in Scrabster and remembering the embarrassment of the turnout we had at the Bignold Park on show day last year can everyone please let John know if they would be able to play on that afternoon .

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Advance notice is given that the Band’s AGM will be held on Wednesday 19th March 2008 at 7.30pm in the Pipe Band Hall. Any items for inclusion on the agenda should be with the secretary by 24/2/08

HALL CLEANING

We have still not sorted out the hall cleaning and would welcome any suggestions, we have considered employing someone but there are security considerations plus responsibilities of being an employer, not to mention the cost. Ideally we need a few more people to take a turn on the cleaning rota, it can be done by 2 people and folk would not have to do it very often – ideas/volunteers to John.