Newtonmore Camanachd Club

Newsletter 5 2008

1] Results  The end of May has been a disappointing time for results with the 1sts losing out twice to Kingussie albeit with a much improved performance in the second game; the 2nds losing their first game of the season to Kilmallie; and the under 17s losing a close match to Fort William 1-0 not long after the Primary school had lost to Kingussie! Then after the Kingussie league game the under 14s and Primary school played a mixed rules game against a touring party from Kilkennie in the Irish Republic and lost a thoroughly entertaining match 6-2. For the final 10 minutes the boys swapped sticks with the Irish team and had fun trying to play a slightly different way.

2] Primary School 6s This has been arranged for Tuesday 17^th June at 6pm with competitions for the Williamson Cup, Gergask Quaich and Macdonald Shield. Throw up is at 6pm and there will be a BBQ, teas and home baking. This is always a most enjoyable evening so do come along and support it.

3] Highland Games weekend There are going to be shinty club events on both Friday 1^st and Sunday 3^rd  August. On the Friday evening there will be a sponsored marathon run by 26 members of the shinty club running a mile each in aid of club funds…. watch out for sponsorship/competition forms in the not too distant future. This will be followed by a Ceilidh dance in the Village Hall.

The Family Sunday event will be at 2pm as usual and will have a bar, but no music this year. There will be competitions for adults and children with a modest entry fee, beat the goalie, slow cycle race etc. Admisson is free! A flyer advertising the event will be delivered to all houses in Newtonmore, Laggan and Dalwhinnie so if anyone wants to sponsor it £100 will get your name on it! As always volunteers for leaflet delivery would be much appreciated.…most deliveries can be done in about an hour.

4] Ground improvements

A] We are waiting on two lengths of white netting to complete the behind goal nets.

B] The completion of the shed starts on Monday 2^nd June and should take 3 days

C] The signpost for the club is ordered.

D] The grass seeding of the training area has been completed and we would just like a little rain to get the grass going. It will be a couple of months before it will be able to be used.

E] The quirky bus shelters that have materialised at either side of the pitch will in due course change colour and get new perspex panels put in.

F] We have two flagpoles to be installed at either side of the entrance wall and are intending buying a St Andrews Cross and club logo flags once we have checked with planning that we are allowed to fly two!

G] We intend to buy a new mower so that Rob does not need to use his all the time!

5] Coaching project The Camanachd Association are responsible for arranging the training of the teachers so that shinty can be delivered on the curriculum of all schools in the area. I am still looking for people interested in coaching after school clubs. Some equipment is ordered, but we cannot order the rest until we hear whether the major grant applications to Awards for All and the Cairngorms National Park have been successful. We have received grants from the COOP Community Dividend Fund [£500], Badenoch and Strathspey Sports Association [£1000] and the Council Discretionary Fund [£2500] and we are very grateful for the support of all of these bodies.

6] Spare equipment In order to keep costs down I would be very grateful for the donation of any unused helmets and camans that may be lying unused round peoples houses.

7] Possible land purchase We are still waiting to hear if the landowner is willing to sell an area of ground to us to allow us to develop a second pitch for shinty and other community use.

8] Surplus trees Many thanks for the several donations we have had. One or two of the newly planted trees do not look as if they will survive so any surplus oak, rowan, beech, birch, wild cherry, alder or Scots pine would be very much appreciated.

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