Transport considerations for 2022 -

[willie reynolds]

Transport considerations for 2022

A meeting took place today (Saturday March 5) with the Transport Manager Paul Howard and a select number of committee members. The meeting was arranged to discuss the very serious position we find ourselves in and we have just no idea where it will take us.

We have no control over the spiralling costs of transportation or where it will end, will there be rationing of diesel, will the cost go over £2.00 per litre.

At this moment, I do not have the figure of how many fanciers have left our sport, I am requesting all clubs to send their membership list to me immediately.

The NIPA has no idea how many pigeons will be raced each week only time will tell. However, plans have to be made, and may have to be amended as the days and weeks ahead unfold.

The NIPA is quite aware of the pressures facing our members with costs rising at an alarming rate.

The committee has agreed on the following which should help alleviate some of the pressures, the members will have to play their part and assist were possible.

Your organisation is in a very strong position financially and is prepared to assist in the cost of transportation for 2022. The NIPA is prepared to subsidise the rising costs of transportation totalling £30,000, this should allow us to hold the cost of crates for the inland old bird racing, the same as last year. This will be reviewed every 3 to 4 weeks and cross channel racing will be reviewed later.

The NIPA will do its utmost to reduce its costs wherever possible, for example, transporters will have to be full to capacity, before traveling to a race point and this should mean at least one transporter be taken off and hopefully two.

In all cross-channel races, pigeons will be collected at a collection point, this will also be the case when we arrange a second race for the same day. If it is a Championship Classic race, then all birds will be race marked at centres. These measures are necessary.

At this moment we have secured a team of Drivers, and without them we would go nowhere. Hopefully the above measures will assist in some way to reduce costs. Regards Fred.

PS All these measures should be welcomed, and the NIPA is very well aware that, the present situation can change quickly and dramatically.