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Chairman: Steve Wright Captain: Alan Windsor Treasurer: Dave Kirk jnr Secretary: Adrian Horne
The Cupboard Monster
Official News Letter of the
MARKETEERS CARNIVAL CLUB
Chairman: Steve Wright Captain: Matt Knapp Treasurer: Ian Barber Secretary: Alan Windsor
Welcome to the Cupboard Monster I hope you are all keeping up with your lent promises, and are looking forward to a good Easter break. This month is a special BUMPER edition of the cupboard monster as I attempt keep you up-to date with March’s happenings, the trip to Portugal and the once again Legendary Old Folks Show.
The Merry Month of March
The month started, as it would finish, in bizarre fashion. As improbable as it may seem, the previously unbeatable quiz team of Alan Windsor, Matt Knapp, Neal Tucker & Mark Webber narrowly failed to win their 5th quiz title!!!!
This was partly down to a disastrous first few rounds by the aforementioned team and partly due to Terry Pickett and Paul Brazewell concocting a quiz so hard, even Magnus Magnusson would have struggled to gain more than 3 points in every round!!!!!
The quiz was eventually won by Tim Chidgey (who had 2 so-called ‘team-mates’/spectators/pot boys in the shape of our illustrious president - Gerrard ‘Chunky’ Dunster & Dipstick of the year - Alan ‘Skiddo’ Chidgey).
With the quiz a distant and very forgettable memory (not sour grapes honest). It was soon March 17th, and 49 intrepid male travellers and 1 very brave woman (honouree Man for the weekend) arrived at the Blake Arms Hotel to await transport to Portugal (via Bristol Airport) for Dave ‘Jones’ Kirk stag weekend.
The drinking had started as early as 10:30 in The Carnival Inn, and with the group in high spirits we left the relative safety of Bridgwater for our cultural weekend stop over!!!
We were soon at Bristol Airport and all checked in, this gave us the opportunity to try a few more beverages, and for me and Andreas to win some money from Ian Barber and Kenny Rogers at cards!!! We were soon boarding the plane and with the more nervous travellers amongst us, for the first time for the whole weekend, a eerie hush descended on the group!!!!
With sweaty palms and green faces, we were soon airborne and leaving this green and pleasant land. A few more drinks were drunk, and a quiz was handed out to pass the time, some others naming no names (Grover & Ringo) thought this far too tame and decided they would ‘read’ Razzle magazine to pass the time!!!!
After what seemed a very long ‘2 n a bit hours’ we were soon back on good old terra firma. As we all rushed to get through Customs, some of the group found out that the Europeans aren’t so easy going with regards to people standing where they are told to stand. And within a matter a seconds a Portuguese gentleman with an automatic weapon soon pointed out that standing behind the Yellow line means that you must STAND BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE.
After a 35-minute transfer to our apartments, a quick shower and change, and we were soon in a pub known as ‘The Geordie Bar’ and for a very competitive 1euro a drink, which we drunk dry in a couple of hours!!! Darryl Taylor and Andy Brown who had flown from Gatwick earlier on in the day were already there and enjoying the local hospitality.
After a hour or so drinking, we moved off into town for some more cut price drinks, with Doey haggling with every bar in town, we were paying 1.50euros for a pint in many of the establishments we frequented, and were kept laughing by out very own brand of entertainment! It was soon the early hours of the morning and through one means or another (Aiden paid 20euros to travel 200 yards in a taxi) we soon found our way back to the apartments, safe and sound!!!!
Sat morning came and went with more drinking and merriment and the majority of us settled down in a bar to watch the afternoons Premiership football matches. A few versions of ‘I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles’ was thrown in for good measure and after a bit more beer and some food we were soon back in the room getting ready for the 1st theme night!!!! The majority of us assumed this would be a star trek connection (Jones is a huge Trekkie and is getting married in Las Vegas on the Bridge of the Star Ship Enterprise). However Chunk had a surprise for us and soon the Geordie bar was swamped with 50 Kamikaze Pilots, 1 Chinese (lady) man and a very convincing Geisha Girl. Once again we hit the bars of Albufeira and the look on 10-12 German gentleman’s faces as 50 Kamikaze pilots descended on a certain bar was one which will live long in the memory
After some live music, a Full-Monty style strip by a member of the group, bumping into Howard from the Halifax and drinking a huge amount of Super Bock, it was once again nearly sunrise so we decided to make our way home for a couple hours sleep!
Sunday was soon with us, as once again was the Geordie Bar for a spot of Breakfast and some more of the locally produced Super Bock! A trip to the old town on the land train was followed by some more ale and a game of 5 a-side beach football which was nearly abandoned when a dog attack dismantled one of the sides own Willie Johnston. After the athletic morning it was back into Albufeira to watch some more football and have some food/drink.
Once again we all had matching outfits on for the night-time, and with these having many different sentences printed on them in Portuguese it proved a huge source of amusement for the locals…… It was on Sunday night that we decided to try a spot of Karaoke. And with Garry Martin stating early on that he wasn’t going to drink, as he was hung-over but he might hit the shorts later, it was a night that promised not to disappoint. And one thing that it definitely didn’t do was disappoint. Garry’s renditions of Dancing Queen, Something Stupid and Ol’ Man River will forever live in the memory as will the once in a lifetime experience of Gary Martin and the song My Ding-a-ling. After a few more bars it was once again soon home time!!!
Monday Morning arrived and with the flight not until 19:45 that night some of the group decided to take it easy, whilst others decided to carry on from the night before and hit the Super Bock. Once again we were soon air-borne and with some very delicate stomachs on board, it seemed a very long flight for the majority of us! We were soon landing and about to feel the chill as we got off the plane it was 3 degrees Centigrade, a massive change from the 15/17 we were experiencing a few hours earlier.
After only being home for 40ish hours, some of us attended the final rehearsal for this year’s Old Folks Show! With the run being as chaotic as ever we were confident that all would go well for the 3 nights ahead.
At 1900 hours on Thursday 23rd March (less than 72 hours after arriving back in the country) the club met up in the Old Market to ready for our first performance. After a few drinks for Dutch courage we hit the stage with aplomb. And those 3 hours of rehearsals certainly paid off, with a Snake Charmer, a Foreign Legionnaire, 6 Sand Dancers and a host of Belly Dancers we went down a storm, more alcohol followed our performance and the stragglers amongst us left for our beds at around 3:30am.
Work was hard on the Friday, but was soon 19:00 and we were all back in the pub, with the previous nights success behind us, we were confident of having another good night treading the boards. Once again, we went down extremely well with the crowd, and we were soon back enjoying some refreshing drinks.
Saturday night performance was soon on us and having heard about the success of the show, we soon enlisted some new recruits. Despite only popping out for a quiet beer with the boys Steve ‘Spud’ Podeschi, Andy Vallender and Tony Seaboourne were soon in costume and having their make up applied. Tony filled in as Sand Dancer and Spud and Andy looked a bit too comfortable in their Belly Dancing get up.
The crowd on Saturday night was excellent and we raised the rafters, once again Marketeers had pulled off a very enjoyable show for the elder members of our community!!!!
After attending Griffens Social at The Squib, we were back in the Old Market with our resident Club DJ Andy ‘Nobby’ Preston providing the soundtrack for a very enjoyable night. Long after BST had come into play we left the pub to make our way home to a hangover that was still feeling the legacy of the weekend previous trip abroad.
For all of those of you that attended Dave’s Stag Weekend, I know he is extremely grateful that you came along to enjoy his last moments of freedom with him. If anyone couldn’t make the weekend but would like to celebrate with Dave on his Stag Day, there are still places available on the bus, there is a £10 deposit required to Adrian Horne ASAP. The Day out will be on April 22nd.
I know Dave is putting together a DVD of the Weekend so if anyone would like one just drop Dave a line via the website www.marketeerscc.co.uk and the photos of the weekend should soon be on www.bridgwater-photos.co.uk which you again can access through the clubs main web-site.
And for all of you that put yourself out to appear on Old Folks Show, on Behalf of the club, thank-you very much. I know that as well as us all enjoying ourselves; the Old Folks certainly seemed to enjoy it as well. Again Dave is producing a DVD of the show and this will be on sale soon.
Hopefully the rest of the year will be as enjoyable and memorable as the past few weeks, for lots of reasons!!!!
Have a great Easter and I look forward to seeing you all shortly!
Cheers
Alan Windsor
News
- Quizmania The next VP quiz is being held Friday 21st April in The Blake Arms Hotel this is a very enjoyable night and earns some good money for the club, the current holders of the Quiz Championship are Tim Chidgey!!! (Oh and Alan Chidgey and Chunky Dunster.were also on his team)
- Monday Night Meetings From Monday 3rd April, all club meetings will be in the Old Market starting at 8pm, all are welcome.
- Congratulations to two of our long standing VP’s, Merv & Sue Faulks are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. They are holding a party at Wellworthys Social Club on the 22nd April. All are welcome, as Sue and Merv have kindly passed on a club invitation
- Stars of CCTV!!!! The Committee has recently met with a young lady from the area who has intentions on producing a documentary on the life in a carnival club, she hopes for this to be shown on one of the 4 major terrestrial television channels. She will be following us round and filming us and our activities from April ‘til after carnival, so watch this space for news on this exciting project.
- Congratulations to former Member and current VP Paul ‘Dingle’ Radford who is celebrating his 18th Birthday
Help Wanted/Dates for your diary
We have the following club events & fundraisers coming up, if any one could help in anyway with any of the fundraisers, please let one of the committee members know, all help is gratefully received.
- April 15th Club bar @ Chilton School (Fireman’s Ball)
- April 21st VP’s Quiz @ The Blake Arms Hotel
- April 22nd Dave ‘Jones’ Kirk Stag Day. Places still available, please see Adrian Horne with £10 Deposit ASAP
- April 22nd Merv & Sue Faulks Wedding Anniversary @ Wellworthys Social Club, All are welcome
- May 20th Cabaret @ Chilton School
- June 3rd Dave ‘Jones’ Wedding Reception @ Town Hall
- July 1st Club Bar (wedding) @ Cannington
- August 5th Club Bar @ Stockland Bristol (Wedding)
- August 26th Club Bar @ East Bridgwater School (50th Birthday Party)
2006 Club Officers
President - Gerrard ‘Chunky’ Dunster
Chairman - Steve Wright
Captain - Matt Knapp
Treasurer - Ian Barber
Secretary - Alan Windsor
Vice Chairman - Shaun Ford
Vice Captain - Tony 'Trev' Seaborne
Vice Treasurer - Garry 'Chicken' Martin
Vice Secretary - Adrian Home
VP Committee
Chairman – Paul Brazewell
Secretary – Teresa Wright
Treasurer – Lynda Francis
Vice Chariman – Mike Butt
2006 Co-ordinators
Stage - Kev Rawles
Cart - Andy Vallender
Hope you enjoyed issue 4, the Bumper edition of the Cupboard Monster, all previous editions can be viewed on our Internet site www.marketeerscc.co.uk and any news or questions can be directed to a committee member or by emailing us through the above Internet address. Have an enjoyable and safe of April.
Best Wishes
Alan Windsor