Welcome from the Chair of FASBC
Dear parents and guardians,
Thank you for exploring the web pages of the Friends of Abingdon School Boat Club. If your son has just started rowing or may be considering it, these web pages will hopefully give you an insight into the rowing life at Abingdon and, in particular, an insight into how FASBC supports the School Boat Club.
FASBC exist to provide support to the boys and their coaches and, dare I say, uniquely, because of the nature of rowing, that support also extends very much to the supporters – particularly if you aren’t familiar with the nature of rowing! Rowing is different in a number of ways; for a start, it’s an expensive sport for a school; an ‘eight’ can cost £30,000, a set of oars £8,000 and entry fees can be about £10 per boy per event. Whilst the school provides a generous budget, it will always be hard to match the investment of our major competitors; so FASBC support the Boat Club by buying the ‘little’ extras that can help make a difference, like some new Concept 2 ergos a few years ago. Occasionally, we will also put our fundraising efforts into supporting a big capital project. For example, last year FASBC contributed £10,000 toward a new ‘eight’ and, most notably in 2003, by raising £65,000, was a catalyst in the building of the school’s magnificent, architectural-award-winning Boathouse.
Also, in rowing you meet the same teams regatta after regatta, so you’re always up against the best – though last year others said that about Abingdon, after we won the Schools’ Head, a record haul of silver and gold medals at the National Schools Regatta and, in early July, the prestigious Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta.
Then, as regattas often entail boys racing a number of times in a day in getting through to the finals – which they will! – there is a fair amount of waiting between each race and it is this waiting that leads to the best camaraderie I have ever witnessed amongst parents and supporters. Unlike other sports where you tend to just watch your son’s team, at regattas you cheer on every Abingdon boat as it rows past! FASBC has an enviable reputation for its fantastic regatta hospitality, not least at the National Schools Regatta in May, where we provide members with lunch and tea on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and we’ll also be at Marlow, Wallingford, Bedford and, finally, the Henley Royal Regatta, so you will always be welcome and the kettle is always on! We also provide members with a Directions Guide to make sure you get there – and the Committee are always happy to answer any questions.
Our riverbank hospitality is just a part of the social whirl of FASBC. There are also other events throughout the year; in January we will be hosting an enlightening Tea Party for the new rowers and their parents, in March we hold the Boat Club Dinner (usually a sell-out so book early to avoid disappointment!) where recent past speakers have included inspirational champions like Alan Campbell, Andy Triggs-Hodge, Mark Hunter and Dan Topolski (immortalised by the film “True Blue”) and in November we have our ever-popular Curry and Quiz night which apart from being great fun is also another good fundraiser.
Fundraising is key to being able to support the boys and their supporters. So, as well as fundraising events, we also have a membership fee (not to be confused with the boy’s Boat Club rowing subs and British Rowing registration that appear on your school bill). I hope you will agree it’s a great investment into the best supporters club ever and I can assure you the school wouldn’t have the success and reputation it has without us - and we wouldn’t exist without the membership.
I do hope you will take a moment to find out more about membership and the other benefits it provides – including the FASBC Members Rowing Handbook and the (some say marriage-saving) “How to get there” book of directions, parking and other tips for the full regatta circuit. I look forward to meeting you at one of our many social events and on many a riverbank this year.
Welcome to FASBC and here’s to a really successful season!
Neville Brampton
Chair FASBC, 2011-2012
fasbc@abingdon.org.uk