JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 |
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Happy New Year everybody, now we can start planning the calendar for the coming months. I know everyone enjoyed our annual meal and get-together, and as usual the staff at The Highwayman’s Haunt did us proud, thank you to all those who attended and made it a wonderful evening. Our next meeting is on Sunday March 6th, it will be held at Allan and Carole’s and we will meet at 2.30, we are planning to have a wine and cheese afternoon with one or two quizzes along the way. I will be looking for ponds to be opened by our club members during the summer months, so volunteers please. Another skittles match with the Plymouth club will hopefully be arranged for later in the year. As our new members may have now realized the rivalry at this event is really very friendly, it’s just an excuse to have a good laugh and socialize with other Koi keepers. The ‘Hamster’ (which is the trophy) for those of you who don’t know is just that, a battery controlled cheering hamster, not a lot to do with Koi keeping I know but a talking point nonetheless. The prize winners from our photographic competition in November 2010 will be awarded their trophies and certificates at the AGM in April, the entries were very good and a lot of our new members won with their Koi photos, well done! Would everyone please take note that if you have any nominations for committee members these must be submitted in writing to the Secretary by April 1st 2011. |
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NOVEMBER 2010 NEWSLETTER |
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Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our members and our friends from all the other clubs we have visited. C.Menzies P.R.O |
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OCTOBER 2010 NEWSLETTER |
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Our October meeting was held with the Plymouth Koi Club at Plymouth City Bus Social Club; Sandra sorted out the venue for a skittles match and food. Before the skittles we visited two ponds belonging to the Plymouth club and had a very enjoyable time looking at Koi and gardens, the afternoon was fine so no umbrellas or coats were needed, very good for this time of year. The food at the Social Club was very good and we managed to win back our ‘Hamster’, it was all very noisy with lots of friendly banter between the clubs but in the end we were the better team, so a big thank you to all who attended and especially our new members who had never experienced the ‘skittle match’, hope you all enjoyed it.
Well the Photographic Competition is approaching so hopefully you have all decided which Koi you are going to enter this year and are ready to take your pics. The competition is on Sunday 7th November at Allan and Carole’s, it will be an afternoon meeting as the judging etc. is very time consuming, we will start at 2.30. Your entries must be sent to Shirley or me by Friday October 22nd. I will email everyone a copy of the rules for the competition. Tips for taking photos are on the website and there is help available if needed C Menzies P.R.O
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SEPTEMBER 2010 NEWSLETTER |
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The visit by Dorset Koi Keepers on September 5th was a huge success, we had glowing praise from them about our Koi ponds, and they were more than impressed with our hospitality, thank you to everyone for making this a really wonderful day. C Menzies P.R.O
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AUGUST 2010 NEWSLETTER |
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On Sunday August 8th we visited South West Koi Club. They really looked after us and we saw several fine ponds and gardens, ate a lot of good food and drank several gallons of tea and coffee, it was a long day but well worth the effort and a brilliant way to spend a summer Sunday with friends old and new. We will be entertaining Dorset Koi Keepers on Sunday September 5th, we visited them in July and it will be nice to see them again. I will be emailing the itinerary for this visit in due course. Our October meeting is being arranged as you read this and I will keep you informed. Would all members please remember that prizes for the raffle are needed at meetings, you don’t have to spend a fortune just a little something. I am open for suggestions for next year’s trips (home or away); we have a few things in the pipeline but as always would like to hear your ideas. Coming shortly is a new page on the website, a little write-up of visits with some photos. If anyone is in need of a quarantine/holding tank we have one available on loan. Please contact me. |
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JULY 2010 NEWSLETTER |
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On Sunday July 4th we visited the Dorset Koi Keepers, the title was a little confusing as we were in Wiltshire and Hampshire mainly, but I’m sure everyone will agree that it was a very enjoyable day, although I must apologize for the mix up over lunch. The weather stayed fine and we met some nice people and saw a variety of ponds and gardens. If you didn’t manage to make this trip you missed a real treat. Well our next trip is August 8th and we will be visiting South West Koi Club, we have hired a coach again and I would like to know as soon as possible who will be going. I will email the itinerary as soon as I have the final details. A date to remember before this is July 25th 2010 which is the Plymouth Club show at Tamar View Garden Centre, please try to go if you can, it’s well worth a visit, the garden centre is good and it has a nice restaurant. C Menzies P.R.O |
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JUNE 2010 NEWSLETTER |
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On Sunday June 6th we were visited by South West Koi Club, the day went very well and the weather was very kind to us. Thank you to Malcolm & Doreen, Jim & Christine, James and his parents, Shirley & David, for providing the refreshments and opening your ponds, also Karen for being the tour guide. The day finished at Allan & Carole’s and once our visitors had looked at the Koi and settled down in the garden for food and drink our large garden looked very small indeed. I had an email from Brenda of South West Koi Club thanking us for a wonderful day, and they are looking forward to seeing us again when we visit them in August. On Sunday July 4th we are visiting Dorset Koi Club. We have hired a coach for this trip and the cost will be £10 per head. I will email the final details to all members who are going on this trip. I need some more pond profiles for our website, if anyone is interested please contact me. Plymouth & District Koi Society show is on Sunday July 25th at Tamar View Garden Centre, it is well worth a visit. |
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MAY 2010 NEWSLETTER |
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Our first outdoor meeting of the year was very well attended with members old and new. Actually because of the inclement weather it was more indoors than outdoors, but at Allan’s this wasn’t a problem as both ponds are indoors. Everybody was impressed with the quality of the fish that Shirley and Allan had brought back from their trip to Japan. It all got very cosy for the showing of the pictures with space at a premium. But after this the kitchen was even more hectic with everyone wanting food at the same time, but thanks to Karen’s help we managed to get everyone served in record time, thanks also to Karen and Shirley for yummy puddings. Our next meeting is Sunday June 6th. South West Koi Club will be visiting us, with the first port of call being Malcolm’s at Tiverton then on to Chudleigh, Totnes, Marldon and finally Kingsteignton. I will send out itineraries for this visit with directions nearer the time. On Sunday July 4th we are visiting Dorset Koi Club and we are hoping to hire a coach for this trip with a nominal fee of £10 per head, thank you everyone who has replied to my email regards this trip, I have no idea yet where we will be going but as soon as I know the details I will let you all know. As I mentioned in my email, subscriptions are now overdue so could we have any outstanding amounts at the June meeting or sooner. Carole Menzies P.R.O |
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APRIL 2010 NEWSLETTER The AGM and Photographic Competition prize-giving held on Sunday 18th April 2010 was reasonably well attended. The committee officers were elected as follows: Committee members were elected as follows: Subscriptions for this year are now due at £20 per household. Please forward to our Treasurer. Our next meeting is on Sunday May 2nd the theme will be "Our Japan Experience" with Shirley and Allan showing off their new fish. We will commence at Shirley’s pond at 2pm, then go on to Allan’s, where there will be a buffet and a picture show/talk about the trip. As a preview, Allan's Journal of the trip can be read on the website HERE C A Menzies P.R.O |
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EASTER 2010 NEWSLETTER |
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A quick reminder to you all that the AGM is on April 18th at The Oakford Club Kingsteignton. Will you all bear in mind that we need nominations for committee members and officers, particularly Treasurer as Reena is retiring from this position. If anyone has a trophy from last year’s photographic competition could you please make sure that these are returned to me or Shirley before the AGM. We still have a small stock of club tee shirts in various sizes, they will available to buy at the AGM. The May meeting will be on Sunday 2nd May 2010 the theme will be Our Japan Experience with Shirley and Allan showing off their new fish. We will commence at 2pm at Shirley’s in Marldon and then go on to Allan’s in Kingsteignton where there will be a buffet and a talk about the trip with photos etc. Carole Menzies P.R.O |
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MARCH 2010 NEWSLETTER |
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The first meeting at our new venue was reasonably well attended and after a slow start I think everyone enjoyed the evening. Sunday 18th April 2010 is the AGM and prize giving for the 2009 Photo Competition. A full list of this year’s visits etc., can be found in the Club Calendar. Allan and Shirley have now gone to Japan so we wish them a happy and successful visit. We could still do with some photos and write-ups of members ponds for the website. Please contact me if you are interested in contributing. I have been requested by Julian Harrod of Exminster to ask if anyone in the club is interested in purchasing some large Koi, several smaller fish and assorted pond equipment. He is selling his house and the buyers are not interested in the pond or fish. His contact number is 01626 862549. Several of you visited Stan and Beryl at their beautiful bungalow in Chudleigh, they have the pond where we send our retired Koi. Sadly Beryl passed away 10/3/2010. C A Menzies P.R.O |
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JANUARY 2010 NEWSLETTER |
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Happy New Year to all our members! I think our Christmas get together at the Highwayman’s Haunt was enjoyed by everyone who attended, the food and service was up to the usual standard. The few people who couldn’t come because of the weather conditions missed a really good night (better luck next year). We have a very busy calendar for the coming year as you will see from our Diary Dates, and we will need to know who is interested in having their ponds included in some if not all of the visits, our first visitors will be South West Koi Club on June 6th 2010 so we need to be planning fairly soon for this one. We have a new venue for our meetings, this is the Oakford Club in Kingsteignton. We have arranged to have an upstairs room complete with skittle alley for our winter meetings. There are car-parks just down the road at Lidl and Richleys. The first meeting to take place there will be March 7th 2010 when we will be having an informal talk by Chris from ACM Koi on all things fishy followed by a quiz. May I remind you that all trophies from last year’s Photographic Competition need to be returned to myself or Shirley by March 7th 2010. The AGM will be April 18th 2010 at the Oakford Club at 7.30. This is a very important meeting and it would be good to see a respectable turn-out. This year our present Treasurer, Reena, is retiring from the committee so we need nominations for the post. Shirley and Allan are actually going to Japan this year so good luck to them and have a really fishy time. They are going to take lots of photos/videos for us all to drool over when they return. Everyone will be able to see the new fish at our May meeting. If anyone is interested in putting a write-up and some photographs of their pond on the website please contact me, we would like several more this year. C. Menzies P.R.O |