QUODCUMQUE FACIENDUM : NIMIS FACIEMUS
Editorial
Seasons Greetings
The editor would like to take this opportunity to wish all
club members; all readers of the B.B. and all cavers everywhere a very Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year,
Help!
Unless somebody comes up with a scheme for distributing the
B. B. a damn sight more cheaply than the Post Office currently charges, the
days of the large Christmas B.B. are probably a thing of the past. Apart from a shortage of contributions, the
size of this one has been chosen to be the maximum which will go for the lower
rate when the limit is reduced next year from 60 to 50 grams.
Next month, the thirtieth volume of the B.B. begins. The 29 volumes so far produced since the B.B.
started in 1947 have been edited by a total of 7 club members, of which the
other six have produced 12 volumes between them. There are no prizes for guessing how many
have been produced by your present editor.
It seems a good time to remind members that when I came back
to the job in 1970, having retired in 1967, it was on a temporary basis until
some new editor could be found.
That, of course, was five years ago now and nobody appears
to be clamouring to do the job. I am
finding it increasingly difficult to carry on, at any rate to carry on
single-handed because I get less free time than I once had and feel that I am
not on Mendip enough to chase up contributions the way I should.
What I would like to suggest is that a volunteer be found
who would be prepared - to start with - to give me a hand. The details can be sorted out when a suitable
volunteer is found. From this point on,
there are three possibilities. The
Assistant Editor can remain as such, in which case I would be prepared to carry
on. The Assistant Editor can gradually
take over, in which case I would be happy to retire at whatever stage suited
us. The third possibility is that the Assistant Editor would get fed up, in
which case we would have to find another. By this means, somebody could come forward without committing himself
(or herself) too deeply to start with. If they found the job to their liking, they could take it over
completely. If they did not, they could
leave and some other bloke be found. I
would like the club to take this seriously, because I realise that I cannot do
the job alone for much longer, so I hope the club will hear my plea for help!
Fairy Tales
Traditionally, the Christmas B.B. contains some element of
would be humour. Owing to the fact
already mentioned that I am finding it hard to get people to make contributions
of articles etc. for the B. B., a great deal of space is taken up in this B.B.
by my own annual screed for which I apologise to one and all.
Yes, once more you are stuck with Pete Pushem and his band
of mythical B.E.C. members - and once again, can only hope that the future as
painted by this tale will never actually come to pass!
Alfie
Notices
The Editor would like to apologise to one and all, and
especially to our Membership Secretary - Angie Dooley for the errors in the
list of members published in the last B. B. It appears that he did not have an up-to-date list and suitable
corrections will appear in the next B.B.
The Hut Warden would like to appeal for MATRESSES, LARGE
DINNER PLATES and DINING CHAIRS. If
anyone has any of these or other useful items, please bring them out or contact
Chris Batstone, who will arrange transport,