Chelmsford Mountaineering Club

Chelmsford Mountaineering Club

AGM

Minutes

2nd February 2011

Rose and Crown, Writtle.

Present: Marion Leister, Gavin Phillips, Mike Hyde, Jane Phillips, Charlotte Clark, Michael Porter, Aaron Bowley, Michael Loughran, Jackie Loughran, Jim Aylen-Smith, Danny Crump, Sarah Pentelow, Tony Wood, Kirsty Greenhead, Marion Rourke, Mike Campbell, Richard Apthorp, Simon Clark, Tony Walentowicz, Andrew Porter, John Meehan, Ian Pegg, Richard Vaughan, David Stynes, Paul Greenhead.

Apologies: Luke Green, Sarah Wood, Wyn Morgan, Adrian Mortram

The Chairman welcomes all to meeting.

MJL explains that we are going to divert from the published agenda and discuss the wall situation first (brought forward from AOB), as this may have a bearing on later events. For minute please see AOB.

Minutes from AGM 2010 reviewed. All members agreed that they are accurate, MARION LEISTER signs off.

Chairman’s Report.

2010 got off to an uncertain start with the last climbing session at Writtle wall taking place on 17 March 2010. True to form the CMC were undeterred and promptly took up residence at Harlow wall the following week. The main challenge facing the club in the coming year was how to proceed without a local facility to climb at. The committee was fully aware that there was potential for the club to divide and we tried to make the venues varied and local to all. Harlow has been a success to a degree and regularly sees up to 20 CMC members there. Stowmarket has also seen good numbers. The pub meet is very popular and Andrew even bought me a drink, giving a good opportunity to plan trips, exchange adventures and catch up with members who can’t always get to the wall, whilst also tucking into the welcome garlic bread.

I do not know of any mountaineering club that has its own wall, although I’m sure there is one out there somewhere, but we had been use to this and the mission was on in the months that followed to try and secure an alternative venue. The committee lead by Simon engaged with the local scouts and finally with St John Payne School to try and establish links in the hope of building our own wall, culminating in a wall survey, of which the results will be discussed later.

2010 saw 8 trips away, the first being the winter walking to Brecon Beacons where the first mass cooking in took place. Next came a new venue, to the Yorkshire gritstone and Westend Outdoor Centre. This was such a successful venue the club has booked to go back for its Christmas dinner in 2011, with another mass cooking planned. The first May bank holiday was back to fabulous Welsh mountains, followed by a camping trip to Nicholston Farm at the Gower. Ohhh Arrrrrr. Other trips included camping at Hardhurst Farm, Peak District, Wye valley and Christmas dinner in N Wales.

But this year hasn’t just been around trips, we have had other successes. When you got around to submitting your articles we had a bumper newsletter, which everyone enjoys reading. So keep them coming.

Individual club members have been successful in gaining awards, mainly CWA’s, SPA’s and Summer ML’s and our congratulations go to those members. Clubs members keep pushing their own limits, entering into greater challenges with even great successes, Curved Ridge a mod, emmm. From our challenges we reap the rewards with more tools in the box for next time. Our new members have received support from those more experienced, whether it’s shouting encouragement at an indoor wall or belaying new comers on their first outside climb. Scrambling over Tryfan or enjoying a pint and a natter. All part of our continued growth and learning as climbers and mountaineers.

Once again we have been successful in our grant applications to the BMC, which has provided new harness and helmets for new members to use. BMC training grants have aided several members receiving a day’s navigation training whilst on the Christmas meet. And finally this year saw the first CMC calendar. Hopefully this is something we can carry forward again this year.

Our club has been around for about 40 years; and although our membership has fallen from 90 in Jan 2010 to 60 in 2011 we are as strong as ever. We regularly see between 30 and 50% of our members attend trips away, which is a much higher ratio than most clubs have living closer to the mountains, hills and crags we frequent. It is not where we climb that makes the CMC a great little club it’s the people.

So what will 2011 bring for the CMC, well on the horizon are our nice new t-shirts and hoodies. We look forward to a club member having an exhibition of her climbing photography at Braintree Library and 12 club members will be embarking on a Smart climbing course held in north Wales. All of which are firsts for the CMC. And we’ve an exciting and varied meets list prepared for 2011 which we will give further details to during the AGM.

A Chairman’s report is a report of two halves, of where we’ve been and where we wish to go. On being elected to this post I questioned myself as to whether I was up to the task, but with the support on my fellow committee members (in particular Gavin) and the rest of the CMC membership, I can honestly say it hasn’t always been easy but it has been a privileged. On behalf of all CMC members I would like to say a big thank you to all committee members, but in particular those committee members who are not standing for re-election namely Mike Hyde, AJ and Richard Vaughan who have given their time freely on the committee during 2010 and worked for the benefit of all.

Finally, I would also like to welcome the prospective new committee and wish you all well in taking the club forward in 2011.

Treasurers Report.

MIKE HYDE talked the members present through the sheet he had produced showing the income and expenditure for the year ended 31/12/2010. Explaining the negative expenditure for the Writtle wall (repaid costs from college) and the positive surplus on Equipment (grant from the BMC).

Also noted was the cost and expenditure of each of the 5 club trips (excluding the July Peaks camping trip as cost directly paid to site by members). Trips showing a slight overall profit for the club, due largely to very good attendance.

Short note on the Net Worth of the club, £7827.00 and the reconciled figure of £7816.20 (not including interest payments).

Finally a comparison with previous year’s accounts showing the loss of the Writtle wall has impacted significantly on our income (through wall fees, inductions and reduced membership) but has also reduced our expenditure.

Figures available for fuller review by members if required.

Following the treasurers report, AARON BOWLEY comments that that the CMC does not wish to make a profit from trips and aims to brake even, but sometimes looses or gains money due to pre-set costs of accommodation. MIKE HYDE confirms that this is often the case. SIMON CLARK points out that the Xmas trip is always subsidised, but to a lesser extent in 2010, than previously due to loss of wall income and they undecided future at the time. Also inductions are at a reduced rate, but still continue. JIM AYLEN-SMITH offers use of a wall in Maldon for inductions, potentially for free.

MIKE HYDE offers suggestions to use Hockley. Several other suggestions of walls are made.

RICHARD VAUGHAN asks members what level of financial security the club should hold. At £8K we are well off, and should we consider spending some money on trips/training etc.? MARION LEISTER asks for people to put forward ideas through new committee. JIM AYLEN-SMITH suggests holding back just for now, in case our circumstances change regarding wall usage. MARION LEISTER asks again for ideas. General discussion about putting excess into a savings account follows, leaving approximately £2.5-3K in current account for running of club.

Club Subscriptions. Same as last year, £15 for recurring members. (New members £30, Junior rates set at £7 recurring and £14 new).

Election of club officers:

Chairman: MARION LEISTER Proposed: GAVIN PHILLIPS

Seconded: JANE PHILLIPS

Club treasurer: DANNY CRUMP Proposed: MICHAEL PORTER

Seconded: PAUL GREENHEAD

Secretary: GAVIN PHILLIPS Proposed: RICHARD APTHORP

Seconded: SIMON CLARK

Meets officer: No nominations received. Post Vacant.

Following much discussion is decided the committee would coordinate the meets for 2011 and book the huts for 2012. All club members were invited to forward suggestions to the committee for consideration of future meets venues.

·  MICHAEL PORTER suggests possibly following the Climbers Club system of having a different meet co-ordinator for each trip.

·  CHARLOTTE CLARK says well done to AARON BOWLEY for his work and asks members to take some responsibility for themselves when it comes to organising trips (e.g. lifts etc.).

·  MARION LEISTER agrees, but says we do need to look after new members especially on their first trip(s) with the club, but current members should be able to look after themselves to a large extent.

·  KIRSTY GREENHEAD asks if splitting the role would be viable, e.g. booking of accommodation, money collection, arranging transport? SIMON CLARK says important issue is to book venues etc as some require booking a long time in advance (e.g. Whillans Hut and Lake District Huts) , so thinks that this should be a single persons job or done by the committee.

·  JIM AYLEN-SMITH offers breaking up the role into regions UK, Europe etc.

·  SIMON CLARK proposes committee do the work. DAVID STYNES says that the member doing it does not have to be elected; a person could come along later in the year.

·  AARON BOWLEY has rescinded his offer to stand for this position. He then refers to the survey results, if this is so important to club why there are no offers to do the job.

·  IAN PEGG offers to collect money for meets, but has no time for the rest of it due to work and family.

·  MARION LEISTER agrees with IAN PEGG’s statement being the same for many members and that any committee position is a big task. She confirms that the committee as a whole will take on this work in the short term and then asks to move on to other matters.

Newsletter and Yahoo Group Coordinator:

CHARLOTTE CLARK Proposed: GAVIN PHILLIPS

Seconded: MIKE HYDE

Website design:

RICHARD APTHORP offers help on this item. Proposed: PAUL GREENHEAD

Seconded: AARON BOWLEY

Club reps:

SARAH PENTELOW Proposed: KIRSTY GREENHEAD

Seconded: ANTONY WOOD

JIM AYLEN-SMITH Proposed: DANNY CRUMP

Seconded: KIRSTY GREENHEAD

MARION ROURKE Proposed: MICHAEL PORTER

Seconded: RICHARD VAUGHAN

MARION LEISTER notes that 2010 committee was 8 people, and due to loss of Meets officer position, an extra club rep would not be an issue. Chairman confirms agreement to a committee of 8.

Date of first committee meeting for 2011 is Thursday 10th March at 8pm at Marion’s house.

Meets for 2011:

21-23/1/2011 Winter Walking

22-25/4/2011 Fontainebleau Bouldering Trip (Camping)

29/4–2/5/2011 Swanage/Portland Trip (Camping)

27-30/5/2011 Lake District Trip

9-11/5/2011 Whillans Hut / Roaches Trip (Camping possible at local site)

11-13/5/2011 Westend Outdoor Centre, Yorkshire

AOB:

No new issues raised by members.

PAUL GREENHEAD offers a vote of thanks to 2010 committee members and wishes luck to 2011 committee.

Results from Wall Survey

MARION LEISTER asked for comments on the current situation and the wall survey results. JIM AYLEN-SMITH said SWF has an Entre-Prise wall. It is designed in such a way as to not be easy to remove. SIMON CLARK said they had said that they would design our wall so we could easily dismantle it and remove it if required, but this would be relatively large sections/panels.

MARION LEISTER asked the members present for opinions of the results of the wall survey, particularly with reference to questions 1, 2, 5 etc.

MARION LEISTER states that majority of respondents think we should not go ahead. ANDREW PORTER responds that we should go back to St. John Payne School to clarify why we will not be going ahead with the wall and that the fact that many issues could not be answered may have lead members to respond in this way. SIMON CLARK offers opinion that many issues were raised and answered the other night, although they may have not been fully understood for various reasons and that some are still out-standing, but agrees that the results are conclusive that CMC members do not wish to go ahead. AARON BOWLEY offers that committee was valid in its investigations, but membership has decided the effort required does not appear to be worth it for the result. MARION LEISTER says that lobbying commercial organisations was a good idea, as backed by Q3 of survey, and the 2011 committee can take this on. JIM AYLEN-SMITH says that he understands the move (from schools) to academies (which is being heavily pushed by the government) will make the security of a wall very tenuous as the governors will have much greater power. GAVIN PHILLIPS adds that such a major change to the running of the club would have needed a large majority of 2/3 to ¾ of membership and notes the lack of respondents (29 out of 66 members) and that over half of the 29 respondents did not wish to go ahead. RICHARD APTHORP asks if bouldering would be possible at all at SJP as this may have clouded some respondent’s views. SIMON CLARK says that he doesn’t think it will be possible. ANDREW PORTER / MARION LEISTER discuss the commitment issue of members to the building of a wall. MARION LEISTER says that the committee does not have time/effort for organising the wall, and the results show a desire to move back to being a mountaineering club.