COMING EVENTS (all at Bridgwater Sports and social Club)

April 16th MONDAY - Skittle Evening - bring the family for a game of skittles and free buffet.

May 2oth SUNDAY - Young Stock Show - Geoff Bowley is coming a long way to judge so please bring your birds and make his journey worthwhile. Booking in at 1.00 pm for 2.00 pm judging.

June 17th SUNDAY - join Worcester B&FBS visiting Bridgwater aviaries and pub lunch.

June 18th MONDAY - an evening with Paul and Nicky Stannard (slide show and talk ok breeding and show preparation).

July 17th MONDAY - Members' Rare Varieties Show, judge Roy Aplin.

SO NEAR YET SO FAR.....

If you have read the February issue of Budgerigar World you will no doubt have noticed that in the published table of show statistics, Somerset had the 7th highest number of birds benched in the whole country last year (who receive BW patronage). Three of those that were higher in the table were Area Societies.

This is very satisfying and just reward for all our hard work over recent years. However, it also shows how close we are to attaining that elusive double CC status. Just 80 birds more than last year and we will have it. How wonderful that would be for our 25th Anniversary Show.

We all need to bench (not just enter) a few more than last year and coax others to exhibit who have not previously done so. We also need to show at our neighbouring clubs' shows so that they will be encouraged to support ours.

WORCESTER B&FBS, VISIT TO SOMERSET AVIARIES

Members of Worcester B&FBS are visiting Bridgwater area breeders Ken Spraggs, Paul and Stuart Griffin, Scott and Sean Childs and Brian Sweeting on June 17th. All Somerset members are welcome to join them and make it an inter-club day out. Lunches will organised for those who want them at the Compass Inn, Huntworth at approximately 12.30 pm. The Compass Inn is on the A38 (Taunton Road) just out of town. Please let Brian Sweeting (telephone: 01278 455621) know by June 6th if you wish to join in so that arrangements can be made and lunches booked.

Would you like a 25th Anniversary Dinner? It would be nice to mark the Club's 25th Anniversary with a celebration dinner. However, the committee needs to gauge the interest before making any arrangements. So could you please let any committee member know by the end of May whether this is something you would support. Obviously the scale of the function would depend on the number of people attending

SOMERSET BS ON THE NET

Information about Somerset BS can now be found on the editor's web site: www.Sweeting-Budgerigars.co.uk. The site was compiled by Stuart Mapstone. If you are thinking of having your own web site you could do a lot worse than talk to him, his charges are very reasonable. E-mail: Stu@mappo.freeserve.co.uk or contact the editor for details.

J R BEST, BVSc, MRCVS, VETINARY SURGEON

I am sure that no-one failed to be educated and entertained by Dick Best at our February meeting. He has subsequently provided the following information for members who may need his help:

ADVICE OR EXAMINATIONS: always happy to talk about problems on the phone. Just ring the Portishead surgery on 01276 847400 to have a word or make an appointment if you want birds looked at.

POST MORTEMS: John Baker provides you with a service that is second to none. In emergencies however, Mr Best would be happy to perform autopsies and would suggest that carcases be taken to surgery at Portishead for a 'while you wait' service enabling him to dispense appropriate medicine on the spot.

DROPPING TESTS: Collect on plastic sheets (to prevent drying) and scrape into small plastic bags or sealable bottles and then send with details of the birds to surgery at 32 West Hill, Portishead, N Somerset, BS20 6LN.

Avian vets are thin on the ground and we are very fortunate to have one so close to home. E-mail: besties@portishead99.fsnet.co.uk.

JUDGES ENGAGED FOR 2002 SILVER ANNIVERSARY SHOW

The following judges have been engaged for the 2002 show:

Pat and Gren Norris; Jeff Atwood; Roy Aplin and Andy Thorpe. We are hoping, of course, that five will not be enough and we will have to find at least one more depending on the 2001 entries.

2001 SHOW NEWS

The expense of staging our Championship show is an ever-increasing burden on club funds. Thankfully, the cost of hiring college facilities has been kept the same for this year but will increase by another £50 next year. If you have any suggestions on how to make the show self-supporting please let the committee know.

Last year we re-introduced the Tombola which proved very successful but please bear in mind that we will need lots of prizes again this year. Last year most of the prizes were supplied by a few people who emptied their cupboards of all their accumulated unwanted gifts etc so wont be able to do it again this year. Have you something suitable? Could you grow some houseplants?

Thanks go to new members George and Paul Burridge have undertaken to produce the schedules and catalogues at cost which will make a lot of difference to the show expenses. Also Club President, Don Hardcastle has agreed to donate the crystal trophies. We are lucky to have such generous members.

ITEMS FOR SALE

Scott and Shaun Childs are selling concaves at approx 65p each-give them a ring for a quote on 01278 684157.

Running out of seed? Give Brian Sweeting, local Bucktons agent, a ring on 01278 455621.

Clive Wakeman has double show cage covers (to cover 2 cages at once) for sale at £3.50, give him a ring on 01823 672504. Would you like your own web site? Then E-mail stu@mappo@freeserve.co.uk or contact the editor for information, very reasonable rates.

TO ADVERTISE IN THIS NEWSLETTER ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LET BRIAN SWEETING KNOW AND DONATE £1 TO CLUB FUNDS

SEED ORDERS

Don't forget to get your seed orders to Stuart Griffin (01278 684157) by Sunday May 20th (at the Young Stock Show) for the next seed run - delivery end of May-No Monday meeting in May