Dinner Weekend 1999 - South Wales, 19-21st February
This years Annual Dinner was something of a landmark for the Society, it being the 40th anniversary of its foundation. We met up in the White Hart Inn at Llangybi on the Friday night for a 'few' drinks. Everyone together again - the weekend had begun. As we headed back to the parish hall - basecamp - to settle down for the night, little did we know that for some it was going to be a long night spent in Casualty after a shambolic incident in the kitchen. Several hours, and a few stitches later, the group was rejoined by lie others for what remained of the night. Things could only get better, and they did!
After ringing at three local towers, LIangybi, Usk and Llanfrechfa, on the Saturday morning, members headed off for an extended lunch until the Society's AGM later on in the afternoon. This was probably one of the most uncontentious meetings to date - Martin Hatfield was elected as Master, unopposed; Rhyan Probert was elected as Social Secretary, unopposed; Paul Lawis, was elected as General Secretary, unopposed; 'Percy' Penney was elected as Deputy Master, unopposed, and Zoe Barker was elected as Mascot Keeper, unopposed!
The 'smart do' that evening was held at the Cwrt Bleddyn Hotel in Llangybi, and as it was rather a special occasion we 'splashed out' and invited two guest speakers, Lyndon Hatfield, from the early days, and local ringer, Bob Hardy. However, due to family illness, Bob had to cancel at the last minute, but being well prepared, he passed the speech onto me to read out. Having never delivered a speech at a Dinner before, I was, of course, a little anxious about it, but I'm sure all those who were present will agree that it was read with the professional qualities that Bob would have wished for! Penny Clarkson provided the Romance Officer's speech, and Karen Williams rounded off her year in office as Master with a resume of the past year's events. Mid-evening entertainment, which involved spoons and standing on chairs (!), was the duty of Mr Spoons, alias John Goldrick and dancing to the wee small hours rounded off a memorable occasion!
So, forty years behind us - and here's to the next forty!
- Percy
Landaff, Cardiff. 21 Feb, 1296 Grandsire Caters: Bob Jervis 1, Fiona Ellett 2, Katherine Wright 3, Stephen Penney 4, Roger Grieve 5, Martin Hatfield 6, Chris Mundy 7, Paul Scofield 8, Malcolm Murphy (C) 9 Tim Payne 10. Rung to mark the 40th anniversary of the foundation of the Welsh Colleges' Society of Change Ringers.
Public speaking: an authoritative guide
As stated in the dinner report, I was asked to read out the guest speaker's speech in their absence at this year's Welsh Colleges dinner. It was the first time I had delivered a speech, and I am now able to provide the following advice for anyone else who is given an after dinner speech to read:
1. Don't worry about being nervous, your friends will realise this and provide you with drinks to calm your nerves.
2. If you lose your speech, don't worry, everyone will pull together to make sure you get it back as soon as possible.
3. Ensure you get to the top table before people stop clapping, or you will look silly.
4. If you still don't have yew speech when you come to deliver it, stand up and apologise to everyone, explaining the situation which you have foolishly got yourself into. Then start randomly repeating my pact of it you can remember.
5. Others may thing you are 'in no fit state' to read a speech, but on no account should you let them read it for you.
6. Dispose of each page of your speech appropriately to avoid geng in a muddle.
7. If you find you are stumbling over your words, start shouting loudly and walking around a lot.
8. Leaning on the top table can help retain balance and stress the more serious parts of the speech.
9 Large arm movements are importnant to get points across.
10. If you lose your place at any time, make no attempt to find it again, just skip to the last paragraph and get it over with.
- Percy
