With a day to Christmas, our message for the upcoming holidays is later than usual. But then again 2020 is not a year like any other. Nobody could have foreseen how the beginning to the new decade would start the way it has.
Back in January most of us had just about heard of this virus somewhere a long way away from here. It well and truly hit Irish shores by spring, after massive outbreaks in other European countries. But we persevered and so many of you rose to the occasion of helping our already strained Health Service and many other community ventures.
We were lucky to get a few courses in just before Covid struck, with a big Thank You to everyone that came along. After the summer we thought we were heading for the New Normal. And to our delight, though with a lot of nervousness too, we ran two very successful courses in Galway the end of September. But as the lads were heading home it became clearer, that most likely this would be the last courses for 2020.
This pre-Christmas season has been very different for all of us. Usually, we are busy planning for the year ahead. Many groups and clubs are booking well in advance, so that they are ready for their commitments to the public. It’s always an exciting time of year and a reassuring one, knowing that FBoS skills are still important to so many of you.
While we had a taste of normality for the last three weeks – by now, we all know that numbers are sharply on the rise again and we’re heading back into tougher times for Christmas. But let’s not despair but instead take the health of our families, friends and the Nation as a whole as our priority.
When the time is right, we will be back and with it FBoS! In the meantime, we send all of you our best wishes for a happy and healthy Christmas and New Year!
Stay safe,
Rodge, Nick and Berni