AGM 12th November, curry, and activities for next year.

[Andy Sparrow]

My proposal to the AGM would be this: That the club should schedule four social events each year. Most of these events would be caving related consisting of talks, slideshows, videos etc with a caving theme. One or maybe two events each year could be more purely social such as meeting up for a meal, or even something as radical as a skittles match. One purpose of such activities is to build cohesion and friendships. It hardly seems credible to me that such a program would have the extreme negative effect that has been suggested.

 

[andymorgan]

By social get togethers, I didn't mean organisng a big barn dance or something. I just meant meet at a pub once a month or so (perhaps after the commitee meetings).
I know there are lots of people in the club, but I have met few of them (ok I know I haven't been living nearby recently) and so I don't know their telephone numbers to arrange a bit of caving. With a pub meeting those who want to organise a bit of caving can turn up and meet like-minded people in the club for future caving.

Just a suggestion!

 

[chriscastle46]

I don't like using this forum for Club business much, but sending a group email has proved to be unreliable and I have a couple of things to say.

Club trips. These are pretty good as they are and would be even better if I could ever attend! I realise that having to work every Sunday puts me in a minority of one. However, I would like the Club to get interested in caving in the Dales although this would perhaps take more committment than is present at the moment. Apart from needing three or four days away proficiency at SRT is really necessary nowadays, which means spending a couple of hundred quid on the kit. On the other hand, we have several proficient members, plenty of rope between us, an excellent training facility in Gough's Cave, and our training officer, Andy S. who has been teaching SRT for years, plus others who can teach the basics.

Social events. Cap'n Chris has gone over the top, but does have a point. We are a small caving club dedicated to caving and we don't want it to become dominated by social events. Caving-related events, fine. An annual dinner, fine. But if people want to play skittles and the like they should organise such events themselves and not expect the club to pay and possibly make a loss due to apathy. Such things are not a proper use of club funds.

 

[Andy Sparrow]

The animosity expressed against 'social' events is rooted in the past experiences of the club. Going back a few years there was a division within the club between the active cavers and those whose involvement was primarily social. The arrangement of non-caving events organised and subsidised by the club caused a rift which led to committee resignations.

Our situation now is entirely different. We have over the last couple of years recruited a number of new members all of whom have an enthusiasm for caving. Many club members have never had the opportunity to meet each other which, I feel, is an undesirable situation. Social events were once a regular event; there was the annual Birthday Bash and the regular Sunday night lectures in White Hart. There is a general consensus that such events should be reinstated. The Birthday Bash was an event with only a tenuous caving connection in the form of videos or some token SRT training; its main function was simply to gather people together, which is no more or less than we would hope to achieve with future events.

We are now asking the club what sort of social events they would like in the future and I feel we should consider any suggestions with an open mind. My example of skittles was just that, an example, no more. And I have never suggested that the club should subsidise the non-caving activities of the membership. There are two words in 'caving club'. It is about caving, but it is also about people, and you need both to run a successful club. I think that any worries that the club is going to repeat the events of few years ago are entirely unfounded as our situation is quite different. We have worked together successfuly for the past few years to build a growing, active and healthy club. The social events question has become an issue blown out of all proportion which is threatening to damage relationships within the club. Time to chill-out, I would suggest.

 

[Melanie lloyd]

Group Hug ?

 

[cap n chris]

By social get togethers, I didn't mean organisng a big barn dance or something. I just meant meet at a pub once a month or so (perhaps after the commitee meetings).

Hi AndyM - this is fine `cos it already happens if people turn up :wink:

There is a general consensus that such events should be reinstated.

Easier said than done and... news to me. I'm sorry if I don't sound fantastically keen but the last two birthday bashes were a lot of effort and the second one (apart from Andy S's out-takes video - which was great fun and THANKS A MILLION for doing it!) was generally a re-run of the first with much the same formula and the same stuff on show. I suppose I'm just a bit tired. Sorry if I don't sound much fun.

 

[Judi Durber]

Sorry I am not going to be able to make the AGM so am using this forum for suggestions for next years program.

Knots, rope work and SRT training. I am not very good at sitting and looking at a book and need some-one to say yes/no that will/won't work. :?

Mix of trips, not sure I could make 2 a month but more options means more members get a trip they like.

Week-end trips, a few a year would be good. Other area's and maybe a trip abroad. (sorry never got to Belgium so can't give feedback. )

I would like a social get-together although I haven't made any of the Charterhouse events, will not make the AGM and live to far away to drop in for a pint in an evening, so please put something in the calendar.

I now have to do some reading up on Ogof Ffynnon Ddu, as I have just seen some pictures of the traverses in Andy's book … but do I really want to know what I will have to cross before I get there!!

 

[cap n chris]

I intend to stand down as secretary but remain as a club member for 2006; the role is onerous and has become considerably more so recently and I am no longer able or willing to devote the time required to fulfill the role adequately. If it is possible for the role to be massively lightened* AND if no-one wishes to take over the task then there is a possibility that I could be persuaded to tick over and deal with essential administration pending a full time replacement being found; however this is far from ideal and what is really needed is a keen, attentive, active member to take over the reins and make the club refreshing and busy, busy, busy.


* DIM proposals adopted
Bi monthly committee meetings
Cessation of personally led trips