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FIRST - CHECK OUT THESE SLIDES - THEY DESCRIBE US WELL

We Are

THE GENTLEMENS ALE SAMPLING SOCIETY

MEETINGS - 2023-24
 

To see what MEETINGS ARE COMING UP, scroll down on this page.

To see what we did in previous meetings click 'PAST MINUTES and MEETINGS' on the button below. 

THE NEXT MEETINGS.....

UPGRADED MEETING CALENDAR

To improve the calendar (which was randomly selected anyway) I have upgraded Owen at Christmas

to Awayday.  Changed more of the awayday/entertainment meetings to summer,

and hopefully made a better balance.  The changes are in blue.

 

 

OCTOBER - DINNER AT BABASHEESH MAIDSTONE  =   ANDY/OLLIE  800 (pub -0)

NOVEMBER -PUB DINNER AT THE ROSE AND CROWN  =   GARY/PHIL C  800 (pub -0)

GASS LUNCH - SKY GARDEN AND BOB BOB RICARD IN THE CITY

DECEMBER -  BURLESQUE AT PROUD CITY XMAS DINNER  =  OWEN/KEITH   1200 (awayday -0)

JANUARY  -  HUGH/STUART  (entertainment 1000)

FEBRUARY  -  WAYNE/LEN  (pub 800)

MARCH  -  TONY/PETE  (pub 800)

APRIL  -  RON/RAY  (awayday 1200)

MAY  -  GRAHAM/PHIL   (entertainment 1000)

JUNE  -  IAN/JOHN  (entertainment 1000)

JULY  - BRIAN/STEVE  (awayday 1200)

AUGUST  -  NICK/CHRIS  (entertainment 1000)

SEPTEMBER  -  AGM

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

JANUARY

MEETING PROGRAMME - 2024

 

THE NEW WAY OF ORGANISING MEETINGS

This year sees a departure from the normal meetings organisation where one poor bastard 

is lumbered with the lot.  As unanimously agreed at the AGM we split into pairs and arrange a meeting each, 22 members, 11 pairs, 11 meetings.  You have your budget and if you go over, deliberately or accidentally, the members simply cough up.  If it is deliberate and planned then the members pay a pre-agreed surcharge or, if its your fuck up on the night, members chuck into a kitty to cover the overspend.

 

Annual Budget:  £40 per head per month. 22 members = £10,560

In the words of Ron Price - the £40 is the cost of membership - not the cost of the meeting

 Entertainment, Food, Beers, House Wines & Spirits go on the bill - anything else members buy themselves.

If a meeting is expected to be expensive then a  surcharge will be announced

prior to the meeting by email and whatsapp. 

If you don't want to pay the surcharge then don't attend the meeting.  

PAY £40 - EXPECT £40

 

 

FACTS AND FIGURES

 

IT'S JUST A MEETING

It's not rocket science.  It's just a meeting.  You are all entrepreneurs, put your mind to it!

There is a list of 100's of past meetings on the website, pick one to do again.

   If you want help just ask.  A list of ideas is below.

£40 MEMBERSHIP FEE

£40 is fine as the monthly fee.  The absolute proof is in the last three years meeting costs. 

Scroll down - I have priced every meeting over the past three years -, they all work out

(with the obvious exceptions where we agreed to spend our Covid bonus) 

The exact figures are that 2023 sees a £140 overspend, 2022 saw a £320 underspend

and 2021 saw a £768 overspend.  That is an overspend of £588 over 33 meetings!!

£17.80 a meeting.  I don't give a tuppenny fuck what the fees are.

But I do care about losing members - £40 works just fine as a membership fee.

If it also covers the meeting then excellent - but expect to pay a bit extra.

That way the members who attend pay that bit extra - those that miss the meeting don't.

WE DON'T NEED A THREE COURSE EVERY MEETING

When planning your meeting do consider that we need some meetings that are not full sit downs.

Consider a buffets or barbecue or a catering wagon, where we can stand and chat,

rather than being confined to a table.

WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE DID IN YEARS GONE BY?

 

THEN CLICK THE RED BUTTON BELOW

AND HEAD OVER TO MEETINGS HISTORY

WANT TO KNOW WHAT

HAPPENED AT OUR

LAST FEW MEETINGS?

 

THEN CLICK THE BEIGE BUTTON BELOW

AND HEAD OVER TO 'THE MINUTES'

AND IF YOU HAVE TIME  -  CHECK OUT SOME MORE SLIDES

We Are Occasional

SCOTSMEN

ABOUT GASS

ABOUT GASS

The Gentleman's Ale Sampling Society was formed in 1982 and started life as 20 blokes getting together on the first Tuesday of every month to have a beer and invest a little money on the stockmarket.  Invest being a relative term, maybe just 'lose' money on the stockmarket might be a better description.  After one share crash or another the point of GASS changed to become simply a good excuse for the guys to do something different every month, as long as it was fun and as long as it also involved beer and food.

Having been doing it now for 41 years we must be doing something right.  This website is for our members.  It tells us what we are doing next and it reminds us of what we did last month and the months before.  This is a new site started in 2018.  If you want to see the old site go to www.gass.org.uk for some real history.  That site goes back to 2006.  

GASS MEMBERS

GASS MEMBERS OVER THE YEARS
1982-2023

Names in Brown = The Current Members 

Names in White = Members who have left GASS but shown in the year they originally joined

 

 

THE GASS ROLE OF HONOUR

1982  -  Nick Jenkins, John Brice, Brian Henslow, Chris Spree, Steve Bell

EX:  Philip Henslow (RIP), Paul Trumper, Mike Hollis, Peter Dyke, Mike Dakers (RIP), Don Harris (RIP), George Pixley

1983  -  Tony Mankelow

EX:  Steve Bishop, Mike Tester, Mike Saffery (RIP), John Jenson, Colin Smith,

Peter Lock (RIP), Ollie Else, Roy Heath, Tony Wimble

1985  -  Peter Farrer, Hew Edeludalooo (don't ask)

EX:  Mike Wade, Dave Dicketts, Phil Grey, Martyn Calder, Ray Dennis, Harry Wood

1987  -  EX:  Pat Harnady

1988  -    Derek Murphy

EX:  Murry Evans,

1989  -  Phil Cockerton

1990  -  EX:  Mike Collins,  Mike Slack (RIP)

1991  -  Len Smith

EX:  Danny Revell, Jeff Wilding, John Terry, Barry Coughlan

1993  -  Ray Guttridge

EX:  Graham Carr, Tom Ryan (RIP)

1994  -  EX:  Roger Wootten, Spike Simmonds, Mike Edwards

1995  -  EX:  Paul Rutherford

1996  -  Stuart Gilbert

1997  -  EX:  Keith Angus, John Worely, Alex Thompson, Mike Slator

1998  -  Andrew Smith

1999  -  Gary Easdown

2000  -  Phil Ralph

EX:  John Hooper

2001  -  EX:  Simon Stroud

2006  -  Keith Evans, Ian Westlake

2007  -  Ron Price

2012  -  Graham Bridgewater

EX:  Alan Ranger, Neil Rogers

2014  -  Owen Brunning

2015  -  Wayne Rodriguez

2016  -  EX: Steve Riches (again, joined 1983 and 2006) EX:  Don Pilcher RIP (joined 1986)

2019  -  Steve Riches (back again)

2019 - Ollie Else (back again)

2022 - Ex Steve Riches (again)  EX:  Derek Murphy (again)

22 members - 12 from 30 years ago - 47 ex-members (incl 8 sadly  RIP)

Not bad for 41 years!

Annual General Meetings

Held every September since 1994 

1994 - Dublin - Ireland,  1995 - Brussels - Belgium, 1996 - Prague - Czech Republic,  1997 - Budapest - Hungary,

1998 - Krakow - Poland, 1999 - Lisbon - Portugal,  2000 - Athens - Greece,  2001 - Tallinn - Estonia, 

2002 - Puerto Banus - Spain,  2003 - Madrid - Spain,  2004 - Dubrovnik - Croatia, 

2005 - Riga - Latvia,  2006 - Lubijana -Slovenia,  2007 - Palma - Majorca  2008  - Brno - Slovakia

2009  Bodrum - Turkey,    2010  Butlins Bognor Regis - England,   2011 - Varna - Bulgaria

2012 - OUR THIRTIETH - IBIZA,  2013 - Vilamoura - Portugal,  2014 - Los Cristianos - Tenerife, 

2015 - Benidorm - Spain, 2016 - Vilnius - Lithuania, 2017 - Puerto Banus, Spain, 2018 - Ibiza,

2019 - Palma Majorca. 2020 - Bloody COVID 19 so in the garden in Kent.

2021 - Pontins Lowestoft (still Covid)   2022 - Seville  2023  -  Barcelona

 

Tuesday Meetings

Drinking Games, Yard of Ale, Country Music Singer, Red Nose Day, Bat & Trap, Black Tie Dinner, Indoor Cricket,

Pancake Tossing,Sponge Ball Throwing, Guess The Logo Competition, Go Karts, Games Evening, Investment Dinner,

Poker Competition, Conker Fight, Greyhound Racing, JCB Racing, Brighton Casino, Clay Pigeon Shoot, Skittle Alley,

Gentleman's Evening (Strippers!), Laser Quest, Bar Fly, Quad Riding, Croquet Match, Shadow Poker, Boule Competition,

Chiselhurst Caves, Trout Fishing, Casper's Telephone Bar, Spoof Night, RE Museum, Blackjack Evening, Arm Wrestling,

Radio Controlled Cars, Rodeo Riding, Ten Pin Bowling, Fireworks Display, Brag Cards Evening, Magic Display,

Flagship Brewery Visit, Archery, Blow Water Polo, Visit Radio Caroline, Great Stour Brewery, Clairvoyant,

Kent Police Museum, Tower Keys Ceremony, Dine in the Dark, Circus School, Champagne Tasting,

Pub Theatre, Land-shuttle, Jet Skiing, Photography Contest, Secret Santa, Kite Flying, River Cruise, Climbing Wall,

Bouncy Football, Blindfold Driving, Throw-Up Golf, F1 Grand Prix, Giant Jenga, Origami, Cartoonist, Pumping Station Visit,

Quick Draw Competition, London Eye, Snail Racing, Ski Slope, Gladiators, Indoor Bowling, Pizza Making, Butchery Skills,

Golf Cross, Mash Potato Wrestling, Ghost Hunt, Cross Country Car Race, Go Ape, Flat Green Bowls, Cabaret Club,

Rifle Range, Trout Fishing, Land Rover Racing, Scooter Racing, Clown Face Painting, Home Made Beer Tasting,

Haunted Pub Tour, Open Topped Bus Tour, Birds of Prey, Paddle Steamer Trip, Rent-A-Crowd, Hard Rock Casino,

Quiz Night, Sittingbourne Light Railway, Auto-test, Backgammon Competition, Palmistry, HMS Belfast, Snow Park,

Calendar Boys, Football Match, Tarot Card Reading, Speedway Racing, Military Vehicles, Paintball, Metal Detecting,

Sailing, Karaoke, Burns Night, Texas Hold-em, Anne Summers Party, Stock Car Racing, Digger Wars, Ice Bar,

Arkwright's Revenge, Airsoft Gunfight, Craps, Jousting, Bay-blast, Beer Crate Piling, Rugby Sing-Song, Maggot racing

Stuffed Horse Racing, Comedy Club, Caveau de Sabrage, Thames Boat Racing, Banger Racing, 20/20 Cricket Match,

Laughter Training, Scrap Heap Challenge, Zorbing, Children's Birthday Party, Flight Simulator, Bingo, Wine Tasting,

Hand Bell Ringing, Fire Walking, Sword Fighting, Helicopter Flying, Sikh Temple Visit, Choclatier Demonstration,

Male Voice Choir, Flower Arranging, Military Band, Humvee Driving, Boat Race, Hot Air Ballooning,

Segway Riding, Pop-Up Restaurant, Pedibus Ride, Cook-Your-Own Indian, Close-up Magic, F1 Simulator,

Kick Boxing, Open Mic Night, Lightship Visit, Gass Olympics, Arctic Explorer Talk, Portrait Photographs

Up at the 02, Walking on Broken Glass, Miniature Railway ride,   Gillingham F.C Match, Tanks Museum,

Windsurfing,   Pugil Sticks,   HMS Belfast,   The Tower of London Keys Ceremony, Wig & Pen Club,  Falconry,

Ice Skating,   Pottery Wheel,   Olympic Bobsleigh, Morris Dancing, Punting on the Cam, Body Flying, Horse Racing,

Sumo Wrestling, Tobogganing, Paddle Steamer,  Table Football, Wii Competition, Pig Racing, Yachting, Stick Fighting,

Walking on Broken Glass, Scottish Country Dancing, Knife Throwing, Bouncy Boxing, Bull Whip Cracking, Dominatrix Lessons, White Water Rafting,Visit the Shard, Axe Throwing, Japanese War Drumming, Dance the Haka, Rum Tasting, Pantomime, Nude Art Class,Church Bell Ringing, Quarry Visit, Drive Tesla Cars, Line Dancing, Penny Farthing Riding, Samurai Swords, Punch & Judy Show,Close Up Magic Dinner, Kayaking on the Thames, Greek Dancing,

Zoom Virtual Meeting (Coronovirus), Jedi Warrier Training, Dodgems and Skidwheels, Prison Island, Caricatures,

Axe Throwing, Petanque, Spitfire Restoration, Cocktail Masterclass, Electric Go Karts, Hand Casting, Trial Cars,

Christmas Turkey Shoot, Longest Zip Wire riding ......

 

   .......to mention just a few !!!!

 

Plus loads of quality dinners, black tie events, guest speakers....

And loads and loads of simple pub nights where we just meet and chat.

 

And all that for forty quid a month - beer, food and entertainment  -  how do we do it??

Contact Us

CONTACT US

Email :  mail@gass.org.uk

Brian Henslow, The Coach House, Stede Court Estate, Harrietsham, Kent ME17 1NR

Historical website :  2006 -2017  -  www.gass.org.uk

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