Plus News
TAG '89 (exerpt) by Phil Lewin |
The evening's dances
brought to the fore some of the stars of TAG, notably the ahow stopping glamour
of the Stockport girls and, above all, the amazimg antics of the Rugby/Hinckley
alcoholic fraternity, whose behavior makes them a strong bet to succeed the
Dossers.
Printed in Plus News
January 1990 |
NOT DOSSERS! |
On behalf of Hinckley 18 Plus, a group
you obviously know nothing about, otherwise you would never have suggested that
we are "eventually set to succeed the Dossers". Whether it be in fun or not you
are way off the mark, and this suggestion could not be any further from the
truth.
The only thing you have to go on is
TAG, an event that had only six or seven of our members there. A few things you
may like to know are. that when the Dossers are about nobody wants to know
them; that wasn't the case with Hinckley at TAG; they were joined by several
groups who were there for the same reason as us, to have fun. They were
encouraged by the D.J. who thought they were great. They did not offend anyone
on purpose; in fact, as 1 said earlier, other groups were only too happy to
join in with Hinckley. This situation was not so with the Dossers, they were to
be avoided at all costs.
We would also like to take this
opportunity to tell you a little more about Hinckley 18 Plus. Last year we
attended all of the dances in Trent Valley Region, as well as 95% of the dances
in our sister Region, Mercia. We have taken part in nearly all of the daytime
events in our Region; we took twenty people to Caister, five to TAG, fifteen to
Bedford and twenty-three to WASH. We have done charity events for Cystic
Fibrosis, a local charity, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Children in Need and
Asthma Research. We have raised around £800 in all.
It takes a lot of time and effort to
get a group onto an even keel. We are on an even keel and are proud of ft. We
know that we are loud and fairly outgoing group, and the same as any other
group, we enjoy a drink, but we were under the impression that 18 Plus was
about having fun, and that is what we like to do, but we do not wreck anything
at any time, purposely, and we try not to upset anyone, unlike the
Dossers.
We are sorry that we cannot write to
you and say well done about the article, but as you must realise, we are not at
all happy at being categorised as the next Dossers.
PHILLIP WIGHTMAN Chairman, Hinckley 18
Plus
Ed. Oh dear, in trouble again! The
offending comment was actually not meant to be an insult, but a fairly
light-hearted reference to the way that the small posse of Rugby/Hinckley
members got together and consistently yet good-humouredly accosted people like
the resident D.J. and Linda Street throughout the weekend (all those at TAG
will know what 1 mean), in the time-honoured tradition of the Dossers before. 1
certainly don't think that the comparrison need be taken as an insult, the
proportion of Dossers that do go OTT is probably no greater than the (vary,
very small) percentage of ordinary members whose behaviour unfortunately gets
out of hand from time to time. Apologies to Hinckley if they have interpreted
the comments in a derogatory light, hopefully the above puts the record
straight!
Printed in Plus News
April 1990 |
NOT WHITER-THAN-WHITE |
I must take
issue with Phillip Wightman, Chairman of Hinckley 18 Plus Group over his letter
in the April Plus News regarding comparisons between his Group and the
Dossers.
For a start, the outdated prejudices
against the Dossers are put forward once again: "... when the Dossers are about
nobody wants to know them ... the Dossers were avoided at all cost ... we try
not to upset anyone, unlike the Dossers ..." etc. I think, Phil that you have
it just about right with your views on the Dossers. Secondly, Phillip Wightman
has obviously got his facts wrong about the Dossers at TAG '89 as there were
only two in attendance! Why do some Groups persist with the notion that they
are whiter-than-white when, in fact, this just isn't so? One of the most
irresponsible incidents that I've witnessed in my 12 years as an 18 Plus member
was an occasion involving a far-from-sober young lady from ... Hinckley Group.
Similar incidents occur in just about every Group, but why pretend that these
things don't happen?
1 have met several members of Hinckley
Group and regard them as a fine bunch of people, but 1 suspect that some, if
not most, will be slightly embarrassed by their chairman's remarks.
If Phillip Wightman still thinks that
his Group is whiter-than-white, perhaps it's Hinckley who should be avoided at
all cost?
ROB WILSON Wharfedale 18 Plus
Ed. Thanks for the letter Rob; now
that we've heard both sides of the story, hopefully we can put this whole
matter in perspective:
- Yes, the odd irresponsible
incident does regretfully happen within 18 Plus from time to time, and no
particular Group or grouping should be singled out as being any more or less to
blame. However 18 Plus is still thankfully immune from the worst excesses of
OTT behaviour, compared to your average town centre when the pubs close.
- One of the most personally
gratifying aspects of 18 Plus is the number of different social groupings
represented within the Federation and the different ways in which they
participate in its activities. There is certainly a place for Groups such as
Hinckley with their raw and honest party spirit (shared by many others within
Central Area and beyond). Equally there is also a place for the Dossers, who
may have their eccentricities, but are fundamentally harmless. But let's face
it, we're all in the same Federation and the last thing we should do is waste
our time squabbling about each other. The northl south divide is bad enough!
This correspondence is now closed!
Printed in Plus News
November 1990 |
Top of Page
WHERE IS "THE BOVIS SKULL" |

A small band of Dossers,
(usually seen in large numbers at the WASH weekend), attended the 1996 Easter
Holiday at Torquay.
During the evening's
entertainment a shrine to the Dosser's founder and spiritual leader Edward
Armstrong, or "Ted Bovis" ("The Bovis") was erected topped with a rubber skull
- "THE BOVIS SKULL".
The Bovis Skull was
"borrowed" on Saturday night, and not seen again until Tuesday morning when the
skull was spotted in the back of a car leaving the site.
"The Bovis Skull" is
actually the property of John A Smith, from Yorkshire Area, (also known by the
Dossers as "The Anti-Christ").
I hope that whoever has
"borrowed" the Skull will return it to the Dossers, or myself at this year's
WASH weekend. If the Skull is not returned, we will have to assume that it has
been stolen.
On the dance floor women
will be seen dancing around their handbags, people will be wary of leaving
their coats draped over chairs, and 18 Plus will no longer have the trusting
and friendly atmosphere that it's members know and love today.
I hope that a genuine
mistake has been made, and that the Skull will be returned .
John A Smith Leeds 18
Plus Group
Printed in Plus News
November 1996
The "Bovis Skull" was
returned the following year at the 1997 Easter Holiday, Camber Sands, it turned
out to be a genuine mistake, thanks to "Stumpy" for returning
it. |
Top of Page
"A DOZEN YEARS OF DOSSING"
|
To celebrate a dozen
years of dossing, here is a poetic tribute to past and present "Dossers".
Bottle of Pils in one
hand - in the other, beans and Hovis, undisputed "Dosser" number one, it's
"Ted Bovis". Diarrhoea tablets, fisherman' mac, he likes to have a
caper, listen for the Barnsley voice and the immortal cry of PAPER!
Number two's from Liverpool, don't give him any hassle, drinks a lot of
cider and likes to shout out CASTLE! Number six is from Leicester, lamp
post height and more, doesn't use a toilet and likes to doss upon the
floor. Civil War fanatic, face shines like a neon, Sir Britvic has no
number, the "Dosser's" only free 'un. ZZ Top enthusiast, would frighten off
a cannibal, walks sideways like a penguin, it's Wharfedale's Andy
"Animal". Could be a modern caveman, jeans are patched and baggy, the
Crewe and Nantwich Saxon, the one and only "Shaggy". Big bad Bill from
Richmond likes to headbang, drink and feast 666 Pils in a night, the
number of the "Beast". But there's always one to spoil things, his excuses
are so lame, this person was on National - Dave Turpin is his name. But
who's the mystery "Dosser"? you've all got vacant looks, he really takes
the biscuit for giving Winalot to Bruno Brooks.
Rob Wilson The Poet
Laureate "Dosser" (No 2, retired)
P.S. The future of the
"Dossers" lies with the newly appointed Director of Dossing, Johnny X,
Councillor Comet Ale Bop (and colleagues).
SESSION!
Printed in Plus News May
1997 |
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WHERE'S "THE BOVIS SKULL" By John A Smith Huddersfield 18
Plus Group |
In the not too distant
past the WASH weekend was the annual get-together of "The Dossers".
Huddersfield member John A Smith, (known to "The Dossers" as "The Anti-Christ")
still brings "The Bovis Skull" to the November holiday.
During Friday evening's
entertainment "The Bovis Skull" was displayed on a table where Bradford were
sitting behind the D.J. it went missing at the end of the night's festivities,
and was not seen again.
"I hoped that whoever
'borrowed' the skull would return it the following evening". but this was not
to be, on Sunday evening the D.J. made an appeal for the return of the skull,
but still no-one came forward to return it, or demand a ransom even.
If the Skull is not
returned, we will have to assume that it has been stolen, this will mean that
18 Plus no longer has the trusting and friendly atmosphere that it's members
know and love today, and in future women will be seen dancing around their
handbags on the edance floor, people will be wary of leaving their coats draped
over chairs and their cameras left on tables.
I hope that a genuine
mistake has been made, and that 18 Plus can keep it's friendly and trusting
character and that the Skull will be returned soon.
Printed in Plus News
Spring 2000
A letter sent to Plus
News, published Spring 2000 following the "disappearance" of "The Bovis Skull"
at the 1999 WASH weekend.
Still not
returned! |
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