Wow, wow, wow.  Well done to our fabulous Social Secretary Ruth Hawkin for a huge (record?) turnout of 97 at the Dinner Dance last night. We had a fantastic evening with great food, excellent company, prize giving and Ceilidh. We also had a very large number of raffle prizes donated by members ranging from Shoe laces to Champagne.  Perhaps the most suitable star prize was that kindly donated by Bob Golightly and coveted by its winner Graham Thumwood, - a Christmas stocking full of rope.

We were also able to say a big thank you to outgoing Commodore Viola Scott for some tremendous leadership over the last three years which has helped our club continue to grow and thrive.  The culmination of this is that I was able to announce that today (30th) I posted KWSC's application for RYA Club of the Year - keep your fingers crossed for a good result. Last night, as a little token of our appreciation, we presented Viola with a clock and barometer pair mounted in an Oak oval.

There were also a large number of young sailors present last night representing the future prosperity of our club.  As I said then, and indicated at the AGM, your Committee are currently working very hard to provide significant enhancements next year to our offering for our Young Sailors. This will include changes in the Programme and also the potential formation of a Junior Council. I want Young Sailors very much more involved in the club.  It was therefore especially pleasing last night to award the Best Young Improver of the Year award to Oliver Murray who in addition won several prizes for racing - a future star in the making.

To mark my period as Commodore I have initiated a new Trophy - the Commodore's Award. This will be available to future Commodore's to award for whatever reason they wish at their sole discretion, no restrictions. The first recipient was not present last night so I could not formally make this award and will hopefully do so at the Working Party next week 9th December if he/she is present. For obvious reasons I cannot here divulge the basis for this year's award withut giving the game away. For those in the know from last night please keep this secret!

Yes - we put the club 'to bed' for the winter next weekend with the winter working party (9th December) and would like as many of you as possible to come and help clean and tidy the club and grounds.  Some volunteers are needed to bring in the (accessible) marks so bring warm sailing gear you are happy to get dirty.  We always finish around lunch time and have a small party afterwards - there is plenty of pies and other food to use up from the freezer but a small contrbution to the buffet from each of us would be welcome. I hope to see many of you there.

Some of you have prizes to collect if you were not at the Dinner Dance last night.  I will present these at the working party if you are there and will notify you by email separately.

We may be organsing some winter coaching sessions to improve our sailing - watch this space and your emails for news on this.

Apart from Newbiggin this weekend, where some of us will be present to sail or suport their Open, you might also think about partaking in the excellent Boxing Day event at Sunderland Sailing Club. (Details on their web site at http://www.sunderlandyachtclub.co.uk/ - first race 11am).  This is an excellent venue with superb food at a club that gives us a lot of support. Please help them by returning that support.

If I do not see you beforehand have an excellent Christmas break - Happy Christmas to you all.

Steve Gibbon, Commodore KWSC