The Reay Youth Club

Calling all EX members
The Reay Youth Club are searching for its past members to gauge interest regarding celebrating the clubs 50 years in operation. The club first started in the Manse in Reay on 15^th Feb 1964 led by Rev Ian Cameron, moving then to the Drill hall with Dick Warner and then to the Victoria Hall when I took over. Many members and leaders have benefited through the years by being involved in training courses,club events, outings, concerts and dances. We would like to hear from you all to reminisce about what happened back then. Please contact me with your stories, photos and memories so we can collate them. Don Forbes RYC Chairman and leader on 01847811402 or don.4ttr@yahoo.co.ukor 4 the Terrace, Reay, Caithness, KW147RQ.

Update on the RYC reunion meeting of 7^th November.
Hi Folks,
Again another good meeting with people from the mid and older ages, we could still do with more and younger people attending to get a broader view on matters.
Likewise we could do with all ex members confirming an interest or not in attending the reunion on 16^th August 2014 your thoughts would be appreciated through face book or email Rita at RYCreunion@gmail.com or myself don.4ttr@yahoo.co.uk Tel 01847811402.
More stories form the past and photos about past club events are needed please.
(After the meeting) I have started “The History of Reay Youth Club” it is the basics of what I can remember to kick start others into adding their memories of the YC and what went on please feel free to advise us of any corrections or additions. To get a copy email us or see it on FB or Caithness . Org. Reunions / Reay Youth Club.
Plans update;
Re union Day Saturday 16^th August 2014 10.00am – 2.00pm open day meet and great ex members view past stories photos and artefact’s.
Buffet 7.00pm for 7.30pm serving of food followed the dance to “Whiskey” a popular local band. Caterers have been chosen. Drinks licence is to be applied for early next year.
Grant aid assistance is being sought for expenses like the band and the possible purchase of cutlery and crockery for the event (these will then be available for future events locally).
Big thanks to Nona who volunteered to make the reunion cake.
Tickets will go on sale in March 2014 and then later on if required they will be offered to other interested people on a first come basis (150 max in the hall).

Assistance in finding some ex members would be great please email for a copy of the list and who we still need to get in touch with.

Unihoc Challenge For those who used to batter that plastic 7cm air ball with a long stick “Ewan Mackenzie” has suggested a wee match might be fun!! Later endorsed by Craig Campbell Date and time to be arranged depending on who’s up for it!!! Please note Ewan was spotted in the summer holidays being coached or was it showing off his skills to Fin and Ru (not to impressively but he had just finished cycling solo Land’s End to John O Groats for his 40th).
Please keep the ideas coming and help make it a reunion to remember.

Next meeting will be in February 2014 date to be arranged.

Many thanks.
Don Forbes RYC Chair / Leader.

The History of Reay Youth Club
This is an abbreviated story please help us fill in the gaps to get the full history of our club.
15^th February 1964 is the date on a certificate from the Church of Scotland and what we presently base as our start date when it was run in the manse by the Rev Ian Cameron, Dickand Ruth Warmer.
Shortly after due to its success the Youth club moved to bigger premises at the Drill Hall where several deputy leaders also helped over the years do you know any of them? During this time a lot happened, trips away to places like Nethie Bridge, visits and competitions around the county and the highlands, plays and concerts put on in the hall, floats for local galas all involving great member participation , trips off on busses. Can you tell us about any of the above events, photos or a short story would be great?
I’ve really happy memories of playing badminton and table tennis as Jimi Hendrix played full blast in the background, also all going down to Aviemore for a youth club convention, wish I had some photos but didn’t have a camera in those days. We all went pony trekking, Ice skating and there was a bit of film of us curling on the news that night which made us feel like celebrities for all of about one and a half minutes that it lasted. by Jane Tyler.
The youth club age in 1968 when I joined was 12-21 Dick and Ruth were the main leaders we played badminton, darts, table tennis, and listened to music. Music was played on record decks and through a 30 watt valve amp built and maintained by the older members, the club had some records and members took down others. On a typical night there was tea or diluting juice hot or cold served and a loaf of sandwiches made in turn by members. There was also a variety of sweets, crisps, lemonade or coke in 300ml bottles no cans in these days. On a cold winters night one had to crack a mars bar over the side of the table as your teeth barely marked next to frozen chocolate. We huddled in the back rooms for warmth with the cooker rings and oven on full blast telling stories, getting the crack if you were not playing badminton or TT. Yearly interclub comps Darts, TT, quiz football ??? ran through the winter where we played home and away rounds with 5 or 6 other local clubs the winners determined by the highest overall scores then went to the Highland and Scottish finals.
1972 ish we went to our first Disco in Halkirk where “Johnny French” was DJ. (Normally dances had all the lights on) so dancing in the dark with disco lights flashing was a great opportunity for romance and having a good snog. About this time the Warmers moved South and Jill & Garth Morrison ran the club for a few years, and then the Rev. Hugh Smith was our leader up until the Drill Hall closed down.
Don Forbes took over as leader when it reopened in the present hall. Soon after this the club helped local nurses with a sponsored walk raising funds for a wheel chair to aid Colin Campbell who suffered from MS. Colin had been on the original parent / management committee of the RYC and central to its formation. In the new hall the club got a new lease of life, membership increased, we raising funds from raffles, pontoon cards, whist & beetle drives and Country Dances lifting our bank balance to over £1,100 (a Big thanks to all the parents and locals who stewarded these). These funds enabled the RYC to participate in many different events like Local, Highland and national sporting competitions, training and outings.
On an interclub visit to Castletown we were introduced to a new game called “Unihoc” (like hockey but with plastic sticks and an air ball which you battered the hell out of if not doing that to your opponents. We soon mastered the game regularly winning outright for many years at local and Highland level, usually catching a podium place at the Scottish finals in either or both the junior and senior level. Winning the under 15 and under 19 age ranges at the Scottish finals was our greatest achievement.
This was not our only sorties Badminton was also a popular and well achieved sport for the RYC thanks to Ruth Shallcross an excellent coach, where the under 17’s team were once seeded to beat the full time badminton clubs in the County.
Outings on the beach (before we knew it had radiated particles) were good fun in the summer time. A bit of cooking in the kitchen whether making tablet with Brenda MacDonald or Scampi and chips with Irene MacAdie where the boys were the enthusiastic cooks, good fun on a winter’s night.
Halloween parties open to the community were attended by young and old making them a great success. Everyone came in fancy dress, turnip lanterns dooking for apples, treacle scones and party games. Gala floats over the years showed great commitment and dedication from parents, leaders and members, some I can remember are “The Old Lady who lived in a Shoe” . “The Pram” dedicated to Reay’s Baby boom (around 1981-4) and “The RHC Huskies” photos and more information on these and others please.
In the “good old days” 1984 ish fundraising was never easy under Doey as leader when members were introduced to cut and work peats, this followed by “easier work” he said lets plant tatties for our funds and give the OPS’s in the Parish a Christmas gift. Both sold well and the gifts were well received. With this money and a few good grant applications we bought a 100 watt amp mixer system and speakers, a 5 channel disco lights a second hand pool table and the best carbon fibre Unihoc sticks we could get amongst other things.
Clay pigeon shooting tuition at Armadale with Mark Campbell a British champion and a great coach was very popular as was the .22 rifle shooting at Lieurey hall under the instruction of Bill and Jimmy Manson was another popular event. On one memorable occasion guess what a girl won “Top Shot” and the boy winning the Top shot Opposite Sex trophy reluctantly accepted it. Well done Isobel Laughton (Keith) we leaders were delighted with you.
Youth leader takes 17 year olds for a PINT” headlines in the Groat 1990. Rita a Dounreay trainee and RYC leader took members onsite to donate their first pint of blood, helping promote under 18’s could now help out as donors. She was later rewarded with an opportunity to be part of the tall ships and sailed on the “Malcom Miller”. First raising a percentage of the costs herself. It was an experience of a lifetime and the full story is available.
There are several good stories been talked about from competitions locally and trips away please send us your thoughts of these so we can capture and share precious memories.
Our fund raising was always difference like cutting and selling peats or growing tatties, a Rubci cube competition, A Nintendo Wee, or a i phone 4S making £2,600. These financed lots of sporting equipment giving many enjoyable times for members. Most recently an outing to Landmark and Elgin go karting.

Digging through old files and talking to people we realised the Reay Youth Club started nearly 50 years ago and was one of the most successful clubs in the Highlands. We would like to invite all 300 + ex members and leaders to join in the celebrations if possible on the 16th August 2014. Book your digs early as tickets will go on sale in March 2014, the hall can only hold 150, 34 members or leaders most with partners have already said “YES”.
Keep your photos and stories coming to RYCreunion@gmail.com or don.4ttr@yahoo.co.uk or phone me on 01847811402 many thanks Don Forbes RYC CH.