Coventry & Warwickshire Red Rope AGM Minutes 3 July 2007
Present: Janet, Alan, Bronwen, Bonny, Alastair
Membership
The active membership is small. We have eight people who belong to Redrope and come on walks (some officially associated with Solihull Red Rope by postcode) and a few floaters.
People join either because of a personal recommendation or because they've found us by searching the web for local walking groups.
Discussion of the word 'socialist' again. This puts some people off - they think the group is overtly and dogmatically political. Suggestion that we use the word 'leftie' instead. E.g. Redrope - a Leftie Walking group.
The word socialist does not appear in publicity material for our group - we have found in the past that local shops will reject flyers and posters which appear to be political.
We discussed merging with another Redrope group. This would make our catchment area very large and make social events and local evening walks very difficult.
We also looked at cross-over with groups with similar aims.
Suggestions to boost membership
- We will look into organising a walk for members of Leamington LETS. (This is a local trading network.)
Action : Bronwen - Janet to contact local Labour party with possibility of putting up a poster in the Labour office or distributing Redrope flyers.
Action : Janet - Bonny to put a notice on the local Council intranet.
Action : Bonny - Janet to look at advertising group with Action 21.
Action : Janet - Bronwen to look at putting a notice in the What's On section in the local paper
Action : Bronwen - Janet to contact the British Nature Conservation Trust
Action : Janet
Treasuring & Accounts
Alastair presented a financial report of the club account. Balance stands at c 826 pounds plus 20 pounds petty cash. The Knoydart trip made a profit of 130 pounds, much to our surprise.
We discussed a number of items of group expenditure:
- Buying a group shelter
Rejected on the grounds that (i) we've never needed one (ii) someone would have to carry it uphill (iii) when walking we often split into separate groups - Giving money back to the national group
Many of the local Redrope groups have fewer high-band members than we do, and are backed up financially by the national committee if they run at a lose. We are to donate 50pounds back to the national group to help with this.
Action Alastair - Buying extensions to OS software
This is a possibility if we go somewhere new, but currently Alan and Alastair already have all of the Lake District and North Wales. Alan doesn't feel that he needed the club to subsidise this. - Training days
If anyone wants a training event (e.g. in navigation techniques or first aid) this could be subsidised. We could even book a group training event or hire a trainer for a day. - More expensive trips
The club can afford to make a loss on trips. We can, if going to an area without BMC huts or camping barns, look at using Youth Hostels. We will also consider going away for a week next year to Scotland or perhaps even Ireland. - Walking books
It was decided that we didn't need to buy any books or walking guides for the club. Instead we'll make a list of all the guides which members own and are willing to loan out.
Action: Bronwen
Group Officials
Everyone is happy to continue in their current positions. Janet is to take on the role of publicity officer.
Treasurer - Alastair
Publicity officer - Janet
Secretary/website - Bronwen
Hut booker - Alan
Dates
- Monthly meetup
This year we have made a trial of meeting on Tuesday evening rather than Monday. We will make Tuesday our official day to meet.
Action: Bronwen to get the National information (MIS & website) updated - Christmas Meal
Rather than going out to a restaurant, we're all going to bring food and meet at someone's house. - Weekends
Date of camping trip changed to 18/19 August
Trip in North Wales for late October / November
Star hut in the Lake District March '08 (Easter if possible)
Action: Alan is to book huts
The rest of the meeting was spent in discussing the calendar for the next few months.
Meeting closed 10.30pm