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EMILY AND HENRY TIE THE KNOT
The marriage of Essex Beardsman Henry Scragg to Miss Emily Allen, (God daughter of Essex Beardsman Charlie) took place on a fine Summer's day at Layer Marney Tower, Essex in a moving Wiccan wedding ceremony on the lawns of the fine Tudor gatehouse. The dress code for the wedding was Victorian, Gothic and Steampunk, with strict instructions on the necessity of facial hair. You can see the results and pictures of the Happy Couple and their guests in our illustrated report on our Meetings pages.
GROW A BEARD INSTANTLY!
Now you can plan your best beard and moustache style without having to wait for it to grow, even though that's really all part of the fun. This 'Stachetastic iPhone™ photo editor App from www.hugeapps.com lets you "instantly add a Moustache or Beard from a selection of sweet facial hair." It's also the official Moustache App of The American Moustache Institute, Moustache March, The Wright Stache and Beard Team USA. Stachetastic costs £0.59 (0.59UKP) from the App Store, so you've got to buy an iPhone™ first!
2010 MIDSUMMER BEARDNESS LUNCH AT THE GEORGE INN
The sun eventually shone on our Midsummer Beardness Sunday Lunch meeting at The George Inn, London, on Father's Day 20th June. The meeting was well attended but barely broke last year's record, competing against the parallel attractions of football, tennis and motor racing. A full report will appear shortly, with photos from our new official TBBC photographer David Paul Rose, whose 'Balcony of Beards' shot appears above.
EGGHEADS? WELL, WE NEARLY WON!
Front Row: Tom, David, Ross, Martyn, Rodger and Greg.PHOTO © 2009 TBBC
The British Beard Club bravely challenged the Eggheads on Friday 18th June - and we nearly won! David, Ross and Rodger struggled manfully against Pat, Judith and Kevin but were early casualties. Martyn and Greg put both of their best beards forward and bristled their way right through to the final round of sudden death questions, but our band of bearded blokes was just pipped at the post by a pula!
As you're now bursting to know what a pula is, it's both the currency of Botswana and the largest city in Istria County, Croatia. So now you know!
GLYN'S 2010 WALK FOR LIFE TARGET EXCEEDED!
TBBC member Glyn Green again exceeded his sponsorship target in the 2010 Crusaid Walk For Life on his 5th annual charity walk on 6th June. Glyn's sponsors came up with a total of £622.68, comfortably over expectations. Glyn says it's... “for all those who sometimes the world is scared of, and about whom some would like to forget.”
CRUSAID helps people in the UK and across the world - regardless of colour, faith, age and sexuality - to overcome the challenges that HIV/AIDS throws at them. Click on the picture above to visit Glyn Green's CRUSAID Sponsorship page and messages of support.
HELP TINY STREAKER...
“Sponsor him, help him get to the world cup. Let him streak!”
(No official endorsement of this item by The British Beard Club implied. Presented for your amusement only.)
CAN YOU TELL WHICH IS THE ODD ONE IN?
Two existing members of The British Beard Club and one new member recruited on the spot, challenged two celebrity teams in a new TV game show called Odd One In. The celeb teams' task is to pick the person who has a unique skill or secret. One of these five men has a false beard, but which? Of course we know that three of them are members of The British Beard Club, so that might just leave two to choose from... Odd One In is scheduled to be broadcast on ITV1 in July.
LOW TURNOUT FOR STOURBRIDGE CENTRAL
The British Beard Party Coalition Candidates Tony and Bluesdog Mick arrived at the Duke William in Stourbridge High Street as planned for 7:30 pm, to find that one keen member had already got there before them - a very nice chap called Steve from the nearby Tipton constituency.
The exit poll predicted a low turn-out, which was proven right when the final count was announced by the Imbibing Officer:
TBBC Party (Very Independent): 3
Didn't Come (Shame On You): 270
“The three of us had a very pleasant evening and all agreed that we should try again sometime soon - perhaps the mid-week timing wasn't as convenient for most people as we hoped, because our quiet little meeting stayed exactly that way!“The landlord and bar staff were very friendly and showed some interest in the club, although we were unable to persuade them to become beard growers themselves. Mick has suggested we have the next meeting at a weekend during the school holidays and we also discussed the idea of a camping weekend, with music and a barbecue. A friend of mine owns some land in Kinver which we could probably use, if other folks like the idea.”
Let us know if you do like the idea of a camping weekend in the summer, with music and a barbeque. “The British Beard Club Barbeque” has a nice ring to it!
THE BRITISH BEARD CLUB T-SHIRTS AVAILABLE NOW
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Our award-winning resident artist and designer member, James Hood has designed this set of six Club T-shirts which are being produced by RedMolotov.
RedMolotov are marketing and distributing them for us, and you can buy them immediately (whether a member or not) direct from their Web site. As James has negotiated this useful deal, the way I recommend you to get to the RedMolotov.com Web site to buy one is by clicking this link: RedMolotov.com
Each design is available in a number of background shirt colours and sizes, and with short or long sleeves, mens', womens', hooded and kids' styles, and as bags. The shirts cost £14.99, and international ordering and delivery is just as easy for our overseas members, but costs typically £4.99 for shipping to the US.
Please note that the Club does NOT make anything on these sales, but by clicking on the pictures or using the link above to make your purchase you will thank James for his hard work and interest as a Founder Member of The British Beard Club.
THE CLUB MEETS AT THE HOPE IN CARSHALTON, SURREY
Home Counties members met at The Hope pub, Carshalton, Surrey on Sunday 28th March. 18 Members and friends enjoyed real ale (Hophead 3.8% and Fruit Bat 5.5% were favourites), good conversation and an excellent buffet lunch, and two new members were recruited. Read the report on the meeting.
BOGNOR BEARD THATCH HAS AMERICAN CONNECTIONS
Probably the smallest but very valuable meeting of The British Beard Club took place at The William Harwicke Pub in Bognor Regis on the evening of Wednesday 3rd March, when we met up with John and his wife Cheryl. In their spare time, supported by Cheryl, John is a member of a troop of keen re-enactors of American Civil War battles, and of course he looks the part!
He and his wife have an extensive and detailed knowledge of the battle histories of the men who fought and the Generals who commanded, and John entertained us with stories of bearded General "Stonewall" Jackson in the Battles of the Bull Run, and John's US visit to renact them.
At the last minute several of the expected bearded potential members were unable to be at this meeting, but we plan to hold another meeting on a weekend at a different Bognor Regis venue, which we hope will be better attended.
ESSEX REGIONAL MEETING IN CHELMSFORD
Essex Thatch of The British Beard Club, The Essex Beardsmen arranged our first meeting of 2010 on Saturday 27th February at The Queens Head, Chelmsford. 23 Members and friends enjoyed drinks, conversation and lunch, and three new members were recruited. Essex Beardsman Charlie reports on the meeting, including the opening, sharing and tasting of a bottle of ludicrously priced and ludicrously strong ale that one member had saved for the occasion.
YEARD - Paul's One Year Beard timelapse video
TBBC Member Paul Wright celebrates his year-long beard ('Yeard') with this timelapse video, and as he says in his live comment, for him and us, it's "Onward And Downward" for next year!
THE POST-CHRISTMAS LUNCH
Unfortunately, not many of the other expected members of The British Beard Club were able to attend the Handlebar Club's Post-Christmas Lunch at the Victory Services Club in London on Sunday 10th January, but I was glad to see Guy from Bishops Stortford, accompanied by bearded colleague Will, whom he'd brought along to see what goes on at such events.
The roast beef course was good and after the meal there was a watercolour auction which made £100 for the Childrens' Liver Disease Foundation, some speeches and a lot of photo-taking.
Afterwards most of the lunch guests repaired to the nearby Windsor Castle, the "home" pub in Crawford Place, London of The Handlebar Club, run by jovial and generous Michael Tierney, who is more than likely to want to photograph you for his extensive gallery of facial foliage on display all over the walls and ceiling of the Pub. Both Guy and Will are about to become exhibits there, and you can find me on the left just over the window!
I do hope this gathering or one like it can become an annual event for The British Beard Club, and maybe for Christmas 2010, we can invite The Handlebar Club to join US!
ED OXLEY'S 2010 SNOW RIDE IN RAGLEY WOODS
Outstandingly bearded TBBC Member and Mountain Bike Guide Ed Oxley is undaunted by the snowy weather, and shows us wonderful action shots of his Mountain Bike ride through Ragley Woods in West Yorkshire. Don't miss the shot and the soundtrack at 1:24 in! You can find out more about Ed's Great Rock mountain bike skills courses by clicking on the link.
Snow Ride in Ragley Woods from Ed Oxley on Vimeo.
THE ESSEX BEARDSMEN TRAVEL NORTH
The Essex Beardsmen host our seventh meeting, which was also the first regional meeting of The British Beard Club, in the fine city of Norwich, Norfolk. Read The Essex Beardsmen's report on the day's events.
GETTING RED IN THE FACE (OK, ORANGE) FOR CHILDREN IN NEED
When our TBBC member Douglas, a teacher at a school in Inverness, Scotland, asked his class what they wanted to do for the Charity Children In Need, they all said, "Shave your beard!", but dedicated beardsman that he is, Douglas flatly refused. So the children asked him to dye it blue, but he didn't really fancy a "blue-rinse beard" for weeks afterwards, so then they said, "How about Carrot Orange?", and that he agreed.
Douglas set the class a threshold of £300 of donations before he'd actually do it, and within 48 hours the children had passed that target! Chris Crook, a gents hairdresser in Inverness agreed to dye the beard for free, and soon a total in excess of £500 was raised, of which £300 will go to Children In Need, and the remainder will be shared between a Cancer charity and a very poor school in Malawi with which their school has links.
Douglas has been a good sport and we congratulate him and his class on their achievement.
A PLEASANT AFTERNOON IN GOD'S OWN COUNTY
Flying the flag for The British Beard Club, the Essex Beardsmen Charlie, Frazer and Henry visit the Charity Darts Match at Thatcher's Arms, Great Warley, Essex between The Handlebar Club and Pipe Club of London on 17th October 2009, and try out ale from The Brentwood Brewing Company and recruit some new members. Read Charlie's report online.
BEARD TRIBUTE by Lee
ROLLING OUT THE OLD - LEWES MEETING REPORT AND PICTURES
A good mix of bearded gentlemen members, their ladies, friends and one little one, and several members of The Handlebar (Moustache) Club, met in Lewes, East Sussex to join in the Annual celebration of "Rolling Out The Old" at Harveys Brewery, and do what members of The British Beard Club do best, chatting and drinking beer. The Brighton Morris Men and several other Sides danced and played to celebrate the return of Harveys seasonal Old Ale, which is only brewed from October to April. Read the report online.
WILL YOU WEAR ONE OF THESE?
This T-Shirt encapsulates many of the experiences of the inocuously but generously full-bearded, and you can own one too by ordering online from RedMolotov.com. David is modelling this good-quality 100% cotton shirt, with its particularly appropriate design printed in white on British Racing Green. You'll find it catalogued on the RedMolotov Web site in the section just below "Religion T-shirts", and costs £15.98 including VAT and Delivery. Other shirt colours are available.
We have to thank member Andrew from Leeds, W. Yorks, for giving us the supplier information. You can see him also wearing this shirt design in our Members Gallery.
WELTMEISTERSCHAFT DER BARTTRÄGER 2009 - MARC'S REPORT
Member Marc Van der Veken makes his Beard Competition debut representing The British Beard Club on September 19 2009 in Gründau-Lieblos, Germany. This International Beard and Moustache competition was organised by Bartclub Gründau-Steinau. Marc gives us his first-hand account of his first-time entry to a beard competition. Marc's wife Griet recorded his participation in this event for us on camera, so look out for her pictures of a contestant in another competition category with a to-the-floor length beard who must be one of the longest-bearded living gentlemen!
THE BRITISH BEARD CLUB CHALLENGES THE EGGHEADS
Five British Beards and one Moustache ready to crack The Eggheads
The British Beard Club recently challenged The Eggheads team in a closely-fought bid to dislodge them from their proverbial wall. Did our team of buttered bearded soldiers beat those hard-boiled eggsperts, or were we left pointed end up and past our shell-by date with scrambled brains? You'll have to wait rather more than 4 minutes for the answer by watching out for the show on BBC2 Television!
TBBC at BROADSTAIRS FOLK WEEK 2009 · REPORT AND PICTURES
The second August TBBC meeting was on August 9th when some members of The British Beard Club met in Kent at Broadstairs Folk Week at The Prince Albert in the High Street. You can read the full illustrated report online.
TGBBC at GBBF 2009 · REPORT AND PICTURES
August has been a busy time so far for some Club members, with two possible TBBC meetings to attend, and a third event about which you will hear shortly. On August 8th The (Great) British Beard Club met at The Great British Beer Festival at Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London. Several new members were recruited, and unusual beers were sampled. You can read the full illustrated report online.
MID-SUMMER BEARDNESS SUNDAY LUNCH 2009 REPORT AND PICTURES
The third bi-monthly meeting of The British Beard Club took place at The George Inn, Borough High Street, London on 21st June 2009. It was a great success, and was the most-attended meeting so far. Read the illustrated report. The next World Beard and Moustache Championships is on May 14th, 2011 in Trondheim, Norway, so you have still have time to grow a competition-quality beard! Join The British Beard Club and we'll help and advise your beard growth progress.