Minutes of the RSGB ARDF Committee Meeting held at Lutterworth on 27 November 2016

Action
1. / In Attendance:2E0VLB, G3ORI, G3ORY, G4KWQ, M1SHE, M3WDD
2. / Welcome: The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting
3. / Apologies: had been received from Stewart G4YSX
4. / Matters arising from the minutes (circulated and approved in Dec 2015)
The Chairman explained that there was little chance of obtaining commercial sponsorship since ours was such a minority sport
5 / Committee Annual Report: The Chairman circulated his draft and there were no suggestions from the Committee for additions or changes. The draft would now be submitted to the Board of the RSGB by the Chairman. / G3ORY
6. / Committee Membership: The Chairman asked members for suggestions regarding additional members. The most favoured were Jillian M0JIN and Robin RS293417. Both had many other work/interests and the Chairman agreed to contact them both to discuss whether they would feel able to join the Committee at some point in the future. / G3ORY
7 / Events 2017: The Chairman circulated an outline year plan for 2017 and there was discussion about organising appropriate events immediately following the Hamfest and the Convention is 2017.
In addition the idea of alternating events between the Midlands and the South was thought to be appropriate..
David M3WDD made suggestions about how there might be wider consultation before fixing the dates and venues for events.
David agreed to take over the organisation of the Events programme for 2017 / M3WDD
8 / Festival/BC 2016:
David M3WDD briefed members about the discussions he had had with Robin regarding the possibility of using the planned TVOC day at Hambleden on 9th April for a top class 144MHz competition. There were also thoughts about using the Reading University campus on Friday 7th April for a Sprint race and then trying to get Swinley Forest for a 3.5 MHz classic race on Sat 8th April..
Members were enthusiastic about these ideas and David was asked to see if they might be progressed further / M3WDD
9 / Stand at Hamfest and Convention:
G3ORY reported that there had been an encouraging amount of interest from many areas of England. Two of the contacts had participated in the competition at Black Park the day before.
9 / Participation;
The Chairman formally tabled the paper he had written.and circulated to Committee members some weeks prior to the meeting.
The idea of liaising with the RSGB Regional managers to have a more locally focussed promotion of ARDF over the Midlands and South of England brought a mixed response from members.
Vlad thought there should be fewer events so as to concentrate interest on what he thought would be better supported competitions.
Andrew said he did not feel able to contribute to many of these attempts to increase participation.
No agreement on a strategy and a coherent and practicable programme to improve participation could be agreed
Afternote. John M1SHE was disappointed by this outcome and the following day asked his daughter, who has a professional career in the resolution of issues of this kind, to take a look at our dilemma and to see if she could come up with any suggestions.
10 / International Competition.
M3WDD outlined the successes at WC2016 . He informed members that Bulletin 1 had been published for the 2017 Region 1 Championships in Lithuania in September 2017
11 / Budget 2017
G3ORY informed members that he had submitted a budget for 2017 which had a small uplift on the one for the current year
14 / AoB
No points were raised