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Knock-out Competition. Please bring 2008 barheads or fully moulted out birds. 2 birds per member. No seed in cages.
50 Club July
Winning number 13 Mrs Brenda Brough.
50 Club June
Winning number 4 Alan Oxby.
Betty D. Gell "Bet" (1926 - 2008)
On Thursday 15th May President Bill Bancroft together with his wife Lyn, and Chairman Ivan Brough along with his wife Brenda represented the Association at the funeral of Honorary Life-Member Betty Gell.
Bet who joined the BS together with her husband Ken when they were living on the Clifton Estate at Nottingham in 1949, had a long Association with Notts & Derby. Bet was our President twice, firstly in 1972 and again from 1982 - 1985. In fact when Bet was elected B.S. President in 1983 many of the Notts & Derby members travelled down to the Chateau Impney Hotel at Droitwich to witness their President become President of the parent body.
Following Ken's death Bet presented the Association with a Presidential Chain of Office. Inscribed on the back it says "In tribute to my beloved husband, Betty D.Gell, 18th April 1970". This is the Chain that Bill Bancroft, a friend of Bet's since 1949 wears today.
Bet was a larger than life character, she was vibrant and full of life. In her own words she said "I swear too much, drink too much and tell too many dirty jokes to ever be considered dignified". Once told she had no decorum, she asked "does it come in bottles?". Ken loved mini skirts, so of course Bet had to wear them! Men loved her and she loved men. She was above all very much a people person and had a heart of gold. As President of the Budgerigar Society she stood at the entrance at the BS Club show nearly all weekend welcoming everyone as they came in.
Bet left instructions when she died that we were not to stand on ceremony or shilly shally about when she popped her clogs but just tell all her mates "Bet Gell's snuffed it" So that is what we did. At the service she requested, no flowers, no religion, no black, but laughter. So that is what we did. Her brother John read a poem entitled an "Ode to Betty Gell" who suffered an embarrassing accident whilst sitting on a toilet seat in a cubicle at the Queens Hall, Leeds when a previous occupant had smeared the seat with superglue! If I tell you that the proceedings concluded to the resounding strains of "Hey big Spender", I think you get the picture. There was not a dry eye in the chapel, but they were tears of laughter.
As Bet said when she was elected B.S. President, "Madam President! What a title for a Yorkshire lass born in the lowliest part of Rotherham during the general strike".
50 Club
The Association is starting a 50 Club to help support events, numbers cost £1.00 per month and can be obtained by contacting Treasurer Alan Oxby Tel: 01623 794041 winners will be drawn at the monthly meetings.
