BCC Newsletter July 2026

BCC NEWSLETTER – July 2026

Annual General Meeting, Saturday 25 July, 12.30 PM
All members will now be aware that the Club AGM will be held on Saturday 25 July.  Nominations for Committee office holders close one week prior to the meeting (not two weeks as previously advised).
All Committee positions will be declared vacant at the AGM in accordance with the
Club Constitution. While existing Committee members may re-nominate, all Committee positions are open to Club members who wish to nominate.  In the event that there are more nominations for Committee positions than positions available, we are required under the Constitution  to conduct a ballot. Only those members who attend the AGM are entitled to vote in the ballot. Another good reason to come along.

As most members will be aware, Paul Butler, our current Secretary, will not be standing for this position. Paul has indicated that he will nominate for an “ordinary member” position on the Committee. Members interested in nominating for this vital role, please do so. Marguerite Russel, the current Acting Secretary, or I, would be happy to discuss the role with anyone interested.
Position descriptions for each of the office holders have been circulated and hard copies are available in the Clubhouse.
The AGM will be followed by a Members’ Meeting, so please give some thought to any questions and suggestions.

Annual Financial Statements
The Committee endorsed the Club’s Annual Financial Statements at its meeting on 9 July 2026. In accordance with the Club Constitution, the Statements have been posted on the Club Noticeboard for the consideration of members.
Our Treasurer, Terry Frankham, will address the AGM regarding the Statements.  Members can rest assured that the Club’s finances are in good shape and in good hands.
Club Annual Subscription and Green Fees
A reminder that subscription renewals have been issued to all members. Subscription fees have remained static since they were last revised in 2022. This has been manageable due to a gradual increase in members, careful management of expenditure, and our ‘extra curricula’ fund raising activities.

Club Strategic Plan Review
The Committee members (plus some) will be locking ourselves away for a couple of hours on 15th July to review the Club Strategic Plan. While some may not find planning particularly exciting, the Committee must have a framework on which to base its decisions and ensure that we are heading in the right direction. We will be making a revised Strategic Plan available to members when it is completed.

Elwood Croquet Club
Some Committee members recently met with their ECC counterparts to discuss progress with relocation and some operational arrangements.  ECC is getting close to finalizing their  contractual arrangement with Melbourne Water. When the contract is (finally) signed, ECC will have two months to vacate the property. On this basis, we are planning on ECC joining us in late September or October.
Initially we planned on ECC joining us for a period of two years. It now seems that the period will be two and a half years to three years, depending on the progress Melbourne Water make with their drainage Works and the timeframe the City of Port Philip takes to rebuild the Club.
BCC will receive compensation from Melbourne Water (via ECC) for an amount approximating half our annual operating costs for the period of their occupancy.

Club Annual Association Tournament
Another reminder that the Club annual association tournament is scheduled over two
weekends, including the prior Friday. The dates are:
Division 3 & 4 – Friday 4th September – Sunday 6th September
Division 1 & 2 – Friday 11th September – Sunday 13th September

Season Opening Event
The Committee is considering hosting a season opening event, most likely in early or mid-August. Watch out for further advice regarding this Club event.

Coffee Machine!!
Now this is important!
Thanks to a very generous donation by David Ryan, the Club is now the proud owner of its very own espresso machine.  However, the machine does not come with pods. Members wanting to use the machine will need to supply their own pods. Because the pods can be recycled, a place to dispose of the used pods will be made available.
Thank you David.

New Member
The Club welcomes Peter Gibson as our most recent new member. Peter has been playing intermittently for some time and has finally seen the light and will fit croquet into his heavy bowls commitments, or is that the other way round?

Bill Marks
President