The following report is From Margaret Pottie, Ladies Branch President. At this point it would be fair to say OUR Margaret is doing a sterling job (Nothing more than we would have expected) however it is a great Honor Margaret has brought to the Province.

The time has flown by since Ladies Branch AGM in May.  My first duty on my way home from Greenacres was to attend the 50th Anniversary of Dalhousie Ladies Curling Club kindly hosted by their Patron Lady Dalhousie at Brechin Castle – a great start to my year as president.  I chaired my first meeting on 6th June and attended the Women and Girls in Curling seminar before the RCCC AGM on 17th July, followed by my first Board meeting. Afterwards an enjoyable evening out in Glasgow was hosted by Jim Cullen and at his suggestion Bob and I had a walk the next day in Glasgow to see the Billy Connolly murals before travelling home.

On 20th June I was at a Competition Committee meeting and on 6th July the executive made the Henderson Bishop Draw in Ochil House. The following week on 12th July I had an enjoyable outing to the Junior Curling Camp at the Peak in Stirling, but watched from a distance as they had a ‘whale of a time’ in the splash pool.

Over the summer with the help of VP Margaret Nicol, JVP Morag Wellman and Gail Munro, I updated the Operating Manual.

August brought me to Kelvingrove Bowling and Tennis Club for an Away Day with RCCC office staff and Board members.  It was an enjoyable and informative day and we were joined by Alison Lunn and Sarah Birrell from Sport Scotland.  Duncan Caithness from Bowls Scotland came along to help with the bowling session.  It was a new experience for me to try bowling, but I even managed to win! However in the meantime I will stick with curling.

Our Ladies branch meeting on September 5th was followed later in the day by a Competition Committee meeting and on September 21st a Rules Committee meeting.

On the 30th September I travelled to Kinross to the Under 21 Slam, staying with our past President, Marion Fraser, on the Saturday night.  It was lovely to catch up with all her news.  Back to Kinross for the final day of the slam and then overnight in Stirling ready for our meeting and Ladies Branch Bonspiel the next day.

A busy October followed – a Board meeting in Stirling on the 4th and then after a weekend break to join our Wengen curling friends in a reunion weekend in Perth and a visit to our daughter holidaying in Comrie.  Bob and I travelled to Aberdeen to the Mixed Doubles Competition from 12th – 13th.  Congratulations to the winners Fraser Kingan and Jane Stirling, who will represent Scotland in Ostersund in Sweden in April.

From Aberdeen we travelled down to Stirling in torrential rain for a Competition Committee meeting in Stirling.

Unfortunately due to a hospital appointment I was unable to attend the Priestfield Quaich at the end of October, but this was ably run by VP Margaret Nicol.  No trophy for the Ladies this time, but a good day out was had by all.

I attended a competitions Committee on 15th November and on 16th Margaret Nicol and I, with hubbies in tow, travelled to St Gallen and the European Curling Championships.  What a thrill to witness our women take the gold medal and the men the silver.  Many congratulations to Eve, Anna, Vicky and Lauren and Kyle and his team of Thomas, Kyle and Cameron

Back home to do lots of preparation for our December meeting – Henderson Bishop Bids, Henderson Bishop Draw and the next one day Ladies Bonspiel to be held in Forfar in February 2018.

Sorry I have not done a blog before this, but I have been putting my photos on the Ladies Branch Facebook page.

I have a busy time ahead in the New Year, but I will do my best to update the blog more frequently. In the meantime my best wishes to one and all for Christmas and New Year 2018!