• Page last updated: 03 November 2020 (website last updated: 03 November 2020)

Welcome to the Gravesend Bird Club's website

We're a Kent bird club and we hope this website will promote both the club and the keeping of cage and aviary birds in and around the Gravesend and Medway Towns area. We're keen to stress that the focus is on local matters, providing information about this and other Kent clubs, and a guide to where to find birds and buy equipment.

We've also included a link on keepers' language, which sets out what we mean by terms like specialist societies. In this way, we hope the website will be useful whether you've years of experience or yet to own your first bird.

We are also aware that if you're new to birdkeeping, it can appear a daunting prospect coming along to a club meeting for the first time. We therefore hope that these pages will give you a better understanding of our club and help to overcome any initial concerns. We'll certainly be glad to see you.

Brief news

03 November: We had written to members during the first national lock-down that the committee had taken the decision to cancel this year's annual club show that was originally scheduled to be on Saturday 07 November. We had waiting as long as we could before the decision was taken in September. Now, just this week, the government have announced the intention for a second lock-down during November. The committee will meet by Teams/ Zoom and members will continue to be updated by email or post where they have no email. We pass on our best to all current members and supporters during these extraordinary times.

17 March: It was noted that the Coronavirus had an impact on attendance at our March meeting and a decision was taken to cancel our April meeting (which naturally fell on Easter Monday). Our next meeting will feature a presentation by Richard on his trip to the Brazilian Pantanal on Monday 11 May - usual time of 7:30pm.

25 February: Thanks for everyone who attended the AGM. The new committee are looking forward to the new year and firming up speakers. There's still a question over the date of the April meeting as the second Monday of the month falls over Easter. We're therefore looking at an alternative Saturday morning but this will be confirmed shortly. Our next meeting is on Monday 09 March and will catch up on AGM actions, bird-keeping news, and I'll give a presentation on 'Gems in the garden: 2019' which will look at the diversity of bird life outside the back door over the course of 12 months. Doors open at 7:15pm with the evening starting at 7:30pm at our usual venue.

27 December: Now looking ahead to the club's 2020 AGM that will take place on Monday 13 January 2020 at 7:30pm at our usual venue. Doors open at 7:15 and we're fortunate again that members are willing to stand again for the principal roles. The aim is to get the AGM packs out the week before - w/c 06 January. Hope you can make it on the night.

06 November: the deadline for receipt of schedules has now passed and there's now only the final stages of preparation for Saturday's annual show (09 Nov). There'll be a tombola and refreshments as usual with the doors opening for the public at 2:00pm. It looks like rain is forecast for the latter part of the day but we hope that won't deter anyone from coming along and joining in and enjoying the day. November's monthly meeting will be on Monday (11th Nov) and it will focus on a review of the annual show. Hope to see you on Saturday.

21 September: we held the British birds and canary table show during our September monthly meeting. There was a decent turnout of 19 birds with a mixture of Glosters, Lizards, Scots Fancy and Redpolls. There was no meeting in August but July's meeting included the the budgerigars and foreign birds table show. Our October meeting (Mon 14th Oct) will focus on preparations for the annual show that will take place on Saturday 09 November. The October meeting will also work through any final requirements for the interclub with Dartford. Quick reminder that our Oct meeting runs the standard time of 7:30 - 9pm and please feel welcome to come along on the evening.

29 June: we had a good talk from Steve Allwright at our May meeting on Lizard canaries and a reminder that we'll have our budgerigars and foreign bird table show at our July meeting. Please feel welcome to come along on the evening (Mon 08 July from 7:30 - 9pm).

05 April: following agreement at the AGM for the club to highlight an improved understanding of particular bird species, this coming Monday's meeting (08 April) will feature presentations from/ discussions with Steve Allwright, Richard Hammond and Bryan Rush on Gloster and Scots Fancy canaries. The aim is to try and cover all aspects of keeping the birds.

About the club

The Gravesend Bird Club has a long history and, with the dissolution of many bird clubs in recent years, GBC is now one of the few cage bird clubs still remaining in Kent.

The club meets every second Monday of the month for presentations, discussions, table shows, and general banter/ exchanging of advice. The highlight is the Saturday, annual show that's open to the public. Not all keepers show their birds though and potential members shouldn't be put off if they're only keen on knowing more about the hobby in general.

Club membership

If you'd like to consider joining this Kent bird club, come along to one of the monthly meetings and have a chat with the members. Don't worry if you're new to bird keeping and we welcome new members even if you're still considering which birds to keep.

If you’re not able to join us in person, you can now join on-line through PayPal, which provides a secure on-line payment system. We started this service in recent years and hope that you’ll feel encouraged to join our club and help us to build for the future. You don't need to be based in Kent and we'd welcome your support and interest from anywhere in the world.

On-line members will receive by email: essential information as it becomes available, a quarterly update, and a copy of the schedule for the annual show.

Membership for 2020 runs for the calendar year (until 31 Dec 2020) and subscription rates are £5.00 (adult), £2.00 (junior aged 15-17 years), £8.00 (couple), and £10.00 (show partnership). The PayPal link is accessed via our contacts and membership page.

History

The Swanscombe and Northfleet Cage Bird Society was founded in 1924 and held its inaugural meeting in the Queen's Head pub on The Hill in Northfleet. The Gravesend and District Cage Bird Society was founded in 1937 where it initially met in Freeborn's Hall in Peacock Street, Gravesend, before moving to St. James Hall on Darnley Road. The two amalgamated in 1946 to form the Gravesend, Northfleet and Swanscombe Cage Bird Society with meetings originally being held at Princes Street Hall in Gravesend before moving to the current location in St Mark's. At the 2016 AGM, members agreed to change the club's name to Gravesend Bird Club.

Web accessibility

The design of the website has been updated for HTML5 but we have aimed to provide, as far as we're able, optimum accessibility to users with regard to type of browser, resizing of browser window, and screen reading software. We'd therefore like to hear any comments or problems that you may have encountered in using this site. Many thanks.

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