[su_heading size=”20″]Pirates 360*[/su_heading]
[su_expand more_icon=”icon: arrow-circle-o-down” less_icon=”icon: arrow-circle-o-up”]Driving past you may first notice that the Club grounds are now fully enclosed by De-Fence with the support of NJR Steel.
Our grand new entrance is now clad and lit and although the drive in has been smoothed thanks to contributions from Wine Club we are well aware the parking area is still pock-marked by potholes. Vumatel has aided us in repairing some of the potholes but we are looking for new ideas and funding options to resurface both the east and west parking areas.
The entrance to the Clubhouse has been spruced up with colourful gardens, a newly clad and lit portico and a shiny stainless steel sign. Saturdays and twice a month on Sundays the gardens is transformed by market stalls.
Inside the shop has been extended, a new projector sponsored by an anonymous member, our coffee bar producing a special Pirates Blend cappuccino, new signature blue and red chairs fill the clubhouse and the all-important main bar, fondly known as the Buccaneer Arms or just Rats, has been extended.
Head out towards the fields, you’ll first notice the deck has doubled in the size and as you look further you’ll also see our new Saringa Bar and braai area. A fully enclosed children’s play area has been added to west of the clubhouse complete with jungle gym and swings.
The Club Council and Hockey section is working hard towards refurbishing the astroturf within the near future while the rugby fields have seen some exciting games this season. As rugby season draws to a close the grounds teams have started preparing the cricket pitch.
The High Performance Gym continues to pull its weight while the private swimming lessons are offered at the covered pool..
The top field is about to undergo an exciting transformation as it’s prepared to be lit-up for the first night games with thanks to Emmarentia FC soccer.
Our grounds are not only home to some of the best sports teams in the area but also a small but productive vegetable garden and a new recycling sorting facility that supports Joburg’s enterprising waste-trepreneurs as well as a base for the local security company.
Before we go let’s not forget the East grounds hosting the venerable Bowls and Tennis club with five-a-side soccer pitches being the new kid on the block. Our staff quarters in the far corner have also received some well-needed attention with the generous support of members as a Mandela Day initiative.
If you haven’t noticed all our recent changes, big and small, we hope you do now on your next visit to Pirates.[/su_expand]
[su_heading size=”20″]From the Helm[/su_heading]
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[su_document url=”http://piratesclub.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/PDP-September-2016-update.pdf”]
[su_heading size=”20″]The Beckett Challenge[/su_heading]
[su_expand more_icon=”icon: arrow-circle-o-down” less_icon=”icon: arrow-circle-o-up”]Clive Beckett hadn’t visited the club in quite some time and was disappointed in some of what he saw. Mr Beckett though is a man of actions instead of words and after producing a comprehensive snag list he took it into his own hands to fix up what he could with the aid of his company Roodepoort Metals. This included replacing guttering, painting power boxes, removing tons of rubbish and scrap, erecting ‘no dumping’ signs and of course donating and installing our pride-of-place entrance door sign.
Clive joined Pirates in 1982, playing cricket for the ‘Rats’ together with John Dingley and later hockey. Clive’s wife Brenda has an even longer association with the club, playing hockey as a schoolgirl from 1972 and going on to play first team in Premier League. As for many families Pirates has been integral to the Beckett’s social life with many good friendships formed on the playing fields and in the pub and their daughters growing up on the sides of the hockey and cricket fields. Clive adds: “I am a Life Member and have had a long history with Pirates Club. Over the years I have watched members come and go and seen the many changes to the club over the years. From “The Cabbage Patch” to the Astro Field; Old Bones to the Main Bar.”
As he rightfully noted keeping the grounds clean and safe should be a priority and will certainly be something we as a club consistently work on. Clive lastly added, “ I am pleased to say that I visited Pirates last weekend and was pleasantly surprised to see that the grounds are neat, tidy and litter free.
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[su_heading size=”20″]Greens Report[/su_heading]
[su_expand more_icon=”icon: arrow-circle-o-down” less_icon=”icon: arrow-circle-o-up”]The Bowls club is on the up in 2016! Membership is growing specifically with the addition of some members from the Zoo Lake club. Social bowls on Sunday mornings has about 30 regulars and the Ladder tournament designed to get more Pirates members bowling has been a good success with 32 on the ladder and nearly 100 matches played up to end September. Many thanks to Dave Case and Magwitch for their generous sponsorship.
Our main priorities at the moment are to increase membership and get more Pirates members enjoying and playing bowls so we’re moving in the right direction. Keep an eye out for the next Pirates competition which will be inter-sections and coming soon!
September and October will also see some exciting changes as we welcome Rachel Thomas on board as manager of the East Side (read 5-A-Side, Tennis, Bowls) facilities and we’re in the process of starting a coffee shop and restaurant in association with Pure Pastry. We look forward to working with both and increasing the usage of our fine clubhouse.
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[su_document url=”http://piratesclub.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Pirates_A3-Mission-Statement-Poster_Pr4.pdf”]
[su_heading size=”20″]67 Minutes[/su_heading]
[su_expand more_icon=”icon: arrow-circle-o-down” less_icon=”icon: arrow-circle-o-up”]“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead” – Nelson Mandela
Inspired by the call to dedicate 67 minutes towards doing good for others on the 18th July the club asked members to contribute time, materials or donations towards the repair of the staff quarters at Pirates east grounds. Both the tennis and road running sections rose to the challenge and although this is an ongoing project as labour, funds and materials allow we are amazed by the transformation that a lot of hard work and some paint has made.
Tennis members turned out in force over the weekend before Mandela Day cleaning up the tennis clubhouse, courts and surrounds. Some members made cash and in-kind donations and some sponsored manpower with Tennis Chairman Joss du Trevou sponsoring a terrific handyman, Beki, for six days and seven hours towards repair work at the Staff Quarters. Door, windows and the ablutions have been cleaned, repaired and painted.
The Running section dug in to transform the grounds in front of the staff quarters into a vegetable garden and the first two fruit trees of an orchard.
We salute all members who rose to the call. [/su_expand]
