SWANSEA HARRIERS ATHLETIC CLUB-Minutes of the Annual General Meeting

SWANSEA HARRIERS ATHLETIC CLUB-Minutes of the Annual General Meeting

Venue: The café King George V Playing Fields,Swansea

Thursday 3rd October 2013

Present

J B Owen (President) G.C. Evans (Chairman), Colin Davies(vice Chairman), Sue Griffiths (Treasurer), Chris McCoubrey (Membership secretary), Tony Clements, WynfordLeyshon, Sue Leyshon, Ann Owen, J.H. Collins, Ian Griffiths, Marian Williams, John Griffiths, Lynne Brier, Neal Merry, Marilyn Davies.

Apologies

K.C. Corcoran (Secretary), George Edwards, S.F. Seaman, Ralph Allemano.

Presidents Welcome

Barrie Owen welcomed everyone to the meeting. He confirmed that 2012 -13 had been another successful year for the club. This success was once again due very much in part to the dedicated athletes who had competed for the club in track and field and road and cross country events on a weekly basis. Coupled with the athletes success was the loyal band of coaches, officials, team managers and volunteers who had worked hard behind the scenes, of which there were so many it would have been unfair to single out any individuals. He also praised the support of the parents and expressed the clubs gratitude for their invaluable help.

Minutes of 2012 Annual General Meeting

The minutes of the 2012 Annual General Meeting were read and accepted as a true record and accepted by the members present.

Acceptance of the minutes was proposed by Colin Davies and seconded by Marian Williams.

Matters Arising

John Griffiths enquired as to whether an auditor had been appointed. It was confirmed that an accountant had been appointed to audit the club accounts.

Hon Secretary’s Annual Report for 2012 – 2013

In the absence of the Hon Secretary, Mr. G.C. Evans (Chairman) was invited to summarize the report. He began by giving a vote of thanks to Kevin Corcoran who was stepping down from the position after seven years of loyal and dedicated service.

Congratulations were also give to Non Stanford who had recently won the women’s world Triathlon title, in London, making her the clubs second world champion along with Dai Greene.

Following the 2012 AGM the club held its 50th Anniversary dinner at the Marriot Hotel, which was a sell out with over 250 guests attending. Gwilym thanked the organising committee and all those who contributed inmaking the club’s 50th milestone so memorable and successful.

SWANSEA HARRIERS ATHLETICS CLUB

SECRETARYS REPORT 2012-2013

Following on from a busy 50th Anniversary year the Club could have been forgiven for taking a sharp increase of breath and taken a breather. Not a chance.

2012/13 has been another busy year for the Club with success and development from grass roots to elite level. I always like to give the junior triangular series a mention, as that is a fairly new initiative where many of our athletes are now starting their careers.

To see one of our own athletes come through the junior sections and achieve success is always fulfilling for everyone associated with the Club, especially the coaches and team managers who work with them.So it was particularly pleasing to see Non Stanford romp away from the field to become ITU World Triathlon champion and win the Grand Final in Hyde Park, London in September. This, after winning the 2012 U23 World Triathlon Championships in Auckland in October 2012.

Non served her athletics apprenticeship with the Harriers and still competes for the Club. The young lady who trained religiously with her coach John Griffiths on Tuesdays and Thursdays on dark winter nights at Ashleigh Road is now gracing the World stage. A fantastic example to all our junior athletes. It is pleasing to see Non, join David Greene as one of our Clubs representatives on a world stage.

But that is merely touching on the Clubs success in 2012/13. On the road, country, track and field, our athletes have continued to achieve success both individually and collectively.

At the European Cross Country Championships in Budapest, Caryl Jones and Dewi Griffiths representedGreat Britain and Northern Ireland with Caryl winning a team silver medal in the Senior Ladies and Dewi a team bronze in the U23 Men. Dewi went on to win the Welsh Cross Country Championships at Glan Usk with Andrea Whitcombe winning the ladies race. The Club had success throughout the age groups at the Championships and this was repeated in the Welsh Road Relays at Llandow in March and the Welsh track and field championships in the summer.

Jac Hopkins established himself as the top U17 cross country and road runner in the UK. Jac had a clean sweep of all UK Cross Country Challengeevents and won the UK cross-country title. He went on to help the Harriers U17 boys team win gold at the National Road Relays at Sutton Park, Birmingham, where for the first time in the clubs history the under 17 men won gold. On a remarkable day for the Club our under 17 women finished second.

In track and field our senior ladies continue to lead the way, having another great season to maintain UKW Premier League athletics in Swansea, while our senior men finished fourth overall in Division 3 of the BAL.

At junior level the Club won the Welsh Cup Final, the West Wales League and the Gerald Codd Trophy Match. The U13/U15 team competed in the Grand Final in Birmingham finishing a creditable 6th. The U17/U20 had a battle to stay in the Premiership and dug in deep on the final fixture to maintain their status.

As always the work by our athletes has been supported and aided by a small army of dedicated volunteers at the Club. The Clubs 50th Anniversary sub-committee rounded off their work at the end of 2012 but the Clubs thanks go to everyone who has helped the Club in the last year.Be it as an athlete, official, parent, coach, team manager, helper, organiser, announcer or committee member, the Club could not function without an intricate network of enthusiastic and committed volunteers and an enormous amount of work put in by everyone.

From my own point of view, it is time for me to step down as Secretary after a brief seven-year stint, but it is my intention to continue to help the Club wherever I can in the future. I would particularly like to thank Barrie Owen, Gwilym Evans and Andrew Jenkins who I have worked closely with throughout that period. I wish good luck to my successor and would offer my thanks to everyone at the Club who has helped in a very successful period.

Kevin Corcoran

Following a summary of the report those members present were invited to make any comment.

John Griffiths commented that Swansea Harriers was a very large club and finding the right balance to express the appreciation of everyone involved could be very difficult, but he felt that Kevin had found the right level and overall the report reflected the hard work and dedication by all those involved with the club.

Sue Leyshon felt that the club should be doing more to encourage those athletes who are 17 and over, as it would now appear that Welsh Athletics were now more focused on the younger age groups. She volunteered along with husband Wynford to set up an initiative, which would target athletes 17 years, and over.

There then followed a discussion on the serious problems at the under 20 age and the massive drop out in the sport of athletes between the ages of 17 to 20.

Marian Williams pointed out that there was no incentive for athletes in this age group to remain in the sport.

Disappointment was also expressed that many of the Afan Nedd Tawe schools cross-countrymeetings were again being held this year.

Acceptance of the report was proposed by J.H. Collins and seconded by John Griffiths, and accepted by the members present.

Hon Treasurers Report for the financial year ending 31st March 2013

Prior to the report being produced Ian Griffiths informed and apologized to the meeting that the accounts had not been audited, which was due to the time it had taken to prepare the accounts and the appointed accountant not being available.

The Treasurer then produced the end of year accounts for 2012 -13

John Griffiths queried as to why the grant from Welsh Athletics forthe senior women’s team (track and field) did not appear in the accounts. He was informed that money had been recorded under the heading “Grants”.

Following discussion it was agreed that, as it was such a large sum of money from the governing body that it should be shown as a separate in the accounts, should a similar grantbe awarded in 2014.

A vote of thanks was given to Sue Griffiths for her hard work in preparing and producing the accounts.

Colin Davies proposed acceptance of the accounts and was seconded by Sue Leyshon.

The members present approved acceptance of the report.

Election of Officers and Officials

Barrie Owen reminded the meeting that Kevin Corcoran was not standing as secretary.

(a) President

Barrie Owen was re-elected unopposed

(b) Elective Vice Presidents

Jo Davis was nominated and elected senior vice president

Neal Merry was nominated and elected junior vice president.

(c ) Chairman

Gwilym Evans was nominated andre-elected unopposed.

(d) Vice Chairman

Colin Davieswas nominated and re – elected unopposed.

(e) Hon Secretary

Tony Clements was nominated and elected

(f) Hon Treasurer

Sue Griffiths was nominated and re – elected unopposed

(g) Membership Secretary

Chris McCoubrey was nominated and re-elected unopposed

(h)Committee (5)

Following a vote the following five people were nominated and elected to serve on the committee;

Lynne Brier, Ian Griffiths, Marian Williams, George Edwards, Jo Davis.

Life Members

No nominations were received.

Proposal

Neal Merry proposed the following

A minimum of 5 years must elapse before a recipient of the Clubman and Clubwoman of the Year is eligible to be considered for the award again.

The reason behind the proposal is that it has arisen on a number of occasions over the years a person has been nominated but has been declined the honour as he or she has previously won the award.

Following a discussion on the proposal the following amendment proposal by Colin Davies and seconded by John Griffiths was agreed

A person may be nominated for Clubman / woman on more than one occasion on condition that the second nomination is in a different capacity to the first award

Announcements and Forthcoming Events

Welsh Athletics AGM will be held at LLandrindod Wells on Saturday 26thOctober, the AGM of the Welsh Leagues will held prior to the main meeting.

Andrew Jenkins was looking for volunteers to attend an officialscourse, which is being held at Pontardulais.

Close

President Barrie Owen thanked everyone for their attendance and hoped that the success of 2013 would follow in 2014 with the club going from strength to strength.