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Last Saturday’s postponed game v Biggar is now being played this Friday, 23rd February @ 7.30pm.
Many thanks to Biggar for agreeing to this sensible switch of dates. Get down and support the boys!!
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Good Evening from a cold and wet West Lodge,
Rugby returns to West Lodge this weekend with a very full schedule of matches.
Firstly, on Saturday, the 1st XV play Biggar, the 2nd XV play Cumnock and the under 18s play Cartha in the West Regional Cup. The 1st and 2nd games ko at 3.00pm and the u18s at 2pm. A veritable feast of rugby so get down and support your Club.
Sunday is another full day with the Minis playing Hillhead/Jordanhill at 11.00am followed by the u15 and u16 sides playing near neighbours GHA in the West Regional Cup at 2 pm. West Lodge will be a busy clubhouse over the weekend.
We have been selected by Scottish Rugby to be a Tartan Touch Centre over the summer. This is an opportunity to introduce newcomers to rugby and also tempt back those who have played in the past. More information will follow once arrangements have been finalised.
The squash section have been back in action with the this week’s results: 1sts beat top of the table Giffnock 13-6, 2nds beat 3rd placed Scotstoun 12-6, 3rds beat top of div 4 Newlands 6 14-10 and the 4th lost to top of div 6 Scotstoun 3. great efforts by our squash teams.
I regret that John Middleton, one of our members who came from the Legion when it closed, passed away late last week. His funeral is next Wednesday 21st February.
I am also informed that Martin Morris passed away very suddenly just after New Year. Martin was a past Social Convenor who was very enthusiastic about the Club and tried very hard to vary and increase our Social events. Our thoughts and condolences go to all the members of both families.
The postponed match v GHK due to be played on the last day of the Six Nations is now going to be played on the Friday night 16th March at 7.45pm.
As ever, we are always looking for volunteers to assist our over burdened Committee members. This does not have to be a full on commitment but if you have a couple of hours per week to spare contact Percy or Jon Jewitt. The future of the Club depends on the members, the parents of the Junior section and current players to be involved and to make sure there will be a vibrant successful Club in the future.
I hope the weather relents and we can get some rugby in the this weekend.
Graeme
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Whitecraigs have been selected to be one of the locations for Tartan Touch for Summer 2018.
This is an opportunity to introduce newcomers to rugby and also tempt back those who have played in the past.
More information will follow in the future but for the full story please follow this link:
http://www.scottishrugby.org/news/18/02/06/tartan-touch-grows-across-scotland
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1st XV play Hamilton in a postponed league game tomorrow night (Friday) at West Lodge with 7.30pm kick off.
After a courageous performance away from home against league leaders, Kirkcaldy, the boys will be looking for a win versus our long time opponents, Hamilton. It is sure to be an entertaining fixture and a noisy touchline support would be much appreciated.
Wrap up warm and come along and support.
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Good Evening from a cold and frosty West Lodge,
Alas, no rugby again at West Lodge with the 1st XV fixture v GHK falling foul to the frozen ground. It is all very disappointing as this means we have three postponed games to play in 2018.
However it is not all bad news as there is a Whitecraigs team in action tomorrow. The under 18s have qualified for the Scottish Youth Cup and their opponents are Highland from Inverness. This game has been organised for the 4G Pitch at Lochinch, Pollok Park. All vocal Craigs support would much appreciated by the boys who are the future of our Club.
The U18s finished off their league campaign in the Galant Conference, with a strong 7-64 away win versus Strathaven / Dalziel to finish in 2nd spot, just behind overall winners, Dunfermline. This top three finish has awarded all their hard work and effort with a home tie on 16th Dec in the Youth National Cup against Highland from Inverness.
The squash results from this week: 1sts beat Giffnock 3 matches to 2, 2nd lost 0-5 Glasgow University 2nd, 3rds beat Allander 3-2 and 4ths beat Glasgow Uni 4 3-2.
Clubhouse Bar hours over the holiday period are as follows:
24th – 12 noon to 10pm
25th – Closed
26th – 3pm to 11pm
27th to 28th – Normal
29th – 4pm to 1.00am
30th – Normal
31st – 12 noon to 1.30am
1st – closed
2nd – 3pm to 11pm.
Please note that the Clubhouse House Opening Hours are as follows:
26th – 12 noon
27th to 31st – 9.00am
2nd – 12 noon
May I take this opportunity to wish everyone the compliments of the Season.
Enjoy.
Graeme
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Good Afternoon from a chilly West Lodge,
The 1st XV were due to travel Aberdeenshire tomorrow but owing to Aberdeenshire’s withdrawal from the league this fixture will not take place. The 2nd XV are due to play Annan at home but the weather may have other ideas.
The under 18s recorded an excellent away win last Saturday at Dumfries which leaves them in second place with one game remaining. This game is tomorrow against Dalziel and according to the SRU fixture web site it has been switched to Dalziel with a 2pm ko. If that is not correct perhaps someone could put it on the web site. This an excellent achievement for this young side and credit to the players, parents and in particular the coach, Tonci Buzov.
The rest of the youth teams play Dalziel on Sunday subject to the weather. The Minis have now started their winter break. Micros are training on Sunday.
The Micros have their Christmas party on Sunday from 11.30am to 1pm and tickets are £5 and can be purchased this Sunday.
The squash teams had a successful week with a full house of wins. The 1sts beat previously unbeaten Newlines 14-7, 2nd beat Western 5 18-1, 3rd beat Strathclyde Uni 2 16-8 and 4th beat Strathclyde Uni 3 18-2. A great performance by everyone.
I would like to mention two fundraising events that took place in November. Julie Cunningham and her helpers staged a tribute Little Mix concert which was by all accounts a rip roaring success. The raised £842 with more to come to be banked. The u18s ran a very successful race night and raised £1068. Not only can this group play a good brand of rugby but they can also raise funds. Rachel Fishlock also ran a Prosecco night at the end of November. Many thanks to everyone who organised, assisted and took part, this what a club is all about.
A word of warning that Aurs Road over the Dams to Barrhead is closed for next 3 weeks for investigative works with a few to straightening/widening. This is why we have yellow portakabins on our site to accommodate the contractors and yes they are paying a rental.
This weeks sponsor is Elegance and Beauty in the Avenue for all your perfume and beauty needs and make sure you pick up your discount card from behind the bar (reverse side of Frazers the Butchers card).
If you are watching rugby this weekend wrap up warm and check the web site and our twitter account @whitecraigsrc
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Good Morning from a dark and dismal West Lodge,
After last week’s very narrow loss (29-33) v Peebles, 1st XV rugby returns to West Lodge, tonight. This is a postponed league game v Hamilton and is being player under the flood lights with a 7.30pm ko. The team played well last week with a great deal of spirit and determination and were unlucky to miss out on the win. A large touchline support would help them to strive for an important win.
On Saturday the 2nds and u18s are at home v Kilmarnock and Cartha respectively with a 12.30 ko owing to the Scotland v Samoa match at Murrayfield.
On Sunday our Galant conference opponents are Cartha and the Minis are at home to Bishopton.
Next Saturday we play Highland in the Cup at home with a 1pm ko. One of the Highland supporters is asking if anyone is travelling through to Murrayfield after the game as he is looking for a lift. Please let me know if anyone can assist.
Tomorrow night is the Little Mix Tribute night and please note that the lounge will be required from 6.30pm for set up.
There are spaces left for the St Andrews Ball on 25th November. Always a great night so please contact Percy to reserve your place.
This week I would like to thank all the volunteers that help out at the Club on a regular basis, without them we could not function as a Club. However more volunteers are required if we wish the Club to progress and become the centre of the local community. Do not be put off thinking you will be asked to devote all your spare time to the Club, all we are asking is for a few hours per month. If you feel you can help out please contact myself, Jon Jewitt or Percy.
This week’s newsletter sponsor is Hunter Chalets & Apartments. This is a company run by by former 1st XV player Finlay Hunter and his wife Wendy in Morzine, Switzerland. Obviously Winter Sports holidays are theirispeciality but it is also a wonderful place to visit in the Summer. Click on their advert on the sponsors page on our web site www.whitecraigs.org for further details.
Have a great weekend and good luck to all Whitecraigs teams this weekend and also Scotland.
Graeme
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Tomorrow is the 11th day of the 11th month and 11.00am is the time of National Remembrance for those who have fallen in conflicts all over the world. We wear a poppy as a symbol of this Remembrance and if you have ever wondered why we do so please read on:
WHAT THE POPPY MEANS
The poppy is
•A symbol of Remembrance and hope
•Worn by millions of people
•Red because of the natural colour of field poppies
The poppy is NOT
•A symbol of death or a sign of support for war
•A reflection of politics or religion
•Red to reflect the colour of blood
Wearing a poppy is a personal choice and reflects individual and personal memories. It is not compulsory but is greatly appreciated by those it helps – those currently serving in our Armed Forces, veterans, and their families and dependants.
During the First World War (1914–1918) much of the fighting took place in Western Europe. Previously beautiful countryside was blasted, bombed and fought over, again and again. The landscape swiftly turned to fields of mud: bleak and barren scenes where little or nothing could grow.
Bright red Flanders poppies (Papaver rhoeas) however, were delicate but resilient flowers and grew in their thousands, flourishing even in the middle of chaos and destruction. In early May 1915, shortly after losing a friend in Ypres, a Canadian doctor, Lt Col John McCrae was inspired by the sight of poppies to write a now famous poem called ‘In Flanders Fields’.
McCrae’s poem inspired an American academic, Moina Michael, to make and sell red silk poppies which were brought to England by a French woman, Anna Guérin. The (Royal) British Legion, formed in 1921, ordered 9 million of these poppies and sold them on 11 November that year. The poppies sold out almost immediately and that first ever ‘Poppy Appeal’ raised over £106,000; a considerable amount of money at the time. This was used to help WW1 veterans with employment and housing.
The following year, Major George Howson set up the Poppy Factory to employ disabled ex-Servicemen. Today, the factory and the Legion’s warehouse in Aylesford produces millions of poppies each year.
The demand for poppies in England was so high that few were reaching Scotland. Earl Haig’s wife established the ‘Lady Haig Poppy Factory’ in Edinburgh in 1926 to produce poppies exclusively for Scotland. Over 5 million Scottish poppies (which have four petals and no leaf unlike poppies in the rest of the UK) are still made by hand by disabled ex-Servicemen at Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory each year and distributed by Poppyscotland.
IN FLANDERS FIELDS
In Flanders’ fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders’ fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high,
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders’ Fields.
I have been fortunate to visit the First World War memorial at the Menin Gate, Ypres and the huge cemetery at Tyne Cot nearby. I have also visited the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach, one of the D-Day landing beaches. It is not until you see the rows of white crosses that stretch far into the distance or the names carved into the memorials that recognise the soldiers who have no known grave, that one can realise the scale of these conflicts. The wearing of a Poppy should be a constant reminder to us of the sacrifices made by the few for the many.
“When you go home tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today”
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The winners of the recent 100 Club Draws are as follows:
September – £200 Alistair Scott, £100 David Hunter, £50 Larry Hornal
October – £200 Jimmy Sim, £100 Larry Hornal, £50 John Hamilton
Still room for more participants contact membership@whitecraig.org