COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
MEETING OF THE CIVIL SERVICE RAMBLERS
WEDNESDAY 14 May 2008
Present: John Holmes, Jim Hamilton, Colin McWhirter, Carol Warke, Chris Hamill, Helen Mallon, Michael CarsoN, Geoffrey Crossey, Stephen Dougherty,Karen Stewart, David Millar, Ivan Baxter, Eric Stewart
In Attendance Denis Hamill (Hon President) and chairing meeting.
1 Apologies: Ken Bradley chair, Alison Millar Secretary, Trevor McCormick, Alison Annett and Harry Stewart.
2 Minutes of last meeting/matters arising
Minutes of the 9 April 2008 meeting were agreed with all matters arising being covered during the meeting.
3 Correspondence
With the absence of the Chair and Secretary, no correspondence was brought to the Committee.
4 General review of March/April walks.
Saturday 19 April – Glenshane - About 15 enjoyed a good walk that took about 5 hours. Ground a little boggy as usual, but better than on most days.
Sunday 27 April – Carrick-a-Rede – 22 enjoyed a superb coastal walk with many staying for dinner afterwards. No detour necessary at the part of the walk where a blockage is in place. Ivan to be reimbursed for parking his Club ‘taxi’ at the Causeway car park at the end of the walk. Committee agreed this should be an annual walk.
Saturday May 3 – Carricklittle – Beg Cove Rocky – another very successful walk with two groups, totalling 21 members, taking 5-6 hours.
Sunday May 4 to Thursday May 8 – Isle of Man – Ten members enjoyed Mediterranean weather on the Isle of Man, staying in Douglas but travelling to most corners of the Island by the varied public transport services. During 3 days we covered nearly 40 miles, the walk from Peel to Port Erin along the coast taking almost 9 hours to complete. This was another very enjoyable trip for the Club.
5 Forthcoming walks
Saturday May 17 – Rostrevor – Kilbroney Park - Alison Millar -This is a change of walk due to the Northwest 200 Flyer issued
Sunday May 25 – Saltwater Brig and Islands Denis Hamill, May flyer issued. Start time to be confirmed and web details to be amended if necessary.
Saturday June 7 - ThomasMt – Donard - Commedagh – Alison to provide flyer. Alison to lead. Alison added that she cannot now lead her planned walk of 5 July. Denis may lead – to be confirmed at June meeting.
Saturday June 21 - Ott – Carn – Doan - Slieve Loughshannagh, etc – Michael Carson has passed flyer to Alison
Sunday June 29 - Ring of Gullion, Slieve Gullion, Newry, South Armagh – John Holmes to provide flyer
6 Major Trips (plus ideas for next year)
There was nothing to report on any of the major trips for 2008 – as all arrangements in hand. Michael Carson will be asking in July for deposits for the August 2009 Tour de Monte Rosa – a party of at most 11-12 will be able to go and preliminary interest is already very high. At the previous meeting, a lengthy discussion took place on ideas for 2009 with several ideas put on the table with these to be looked at in further detail over the next few months. To be put on next months agenda.
7 Finances
A subsidy of around £500.00 was agreed for the Lake District trip. See section 8 below re invoice for catering at the Club training day. At the next meeting John Holmes will pass an invoice for the website – about £35. The Treasurer agreed to follow up our personal injury insurance policy with Perkin’s Slade. The Treasurer will be submitting our next NICSSA subvention claim in the coming weeks.
8 Training
The navigation training day on Saturday 10th May 2008 in the Pavilion was another great success and the Committee thanked Eric Stewart for all his hard work. 12 members attended, and there was one apology and one who didn’t show. Coffee/tea and sandwiches were provided at £5/head. Denis will forward the Treasurer the invoice when it is received. Eric Stewart stated that a night navigation course was requested by the attendees and this would be held in the winter. Eric also agreed to provide some practical map reading experience to those attending the Club’s Rostrevor camping weekend. Denis reported that the improving sporting standards forms were due to be sent to clubs, further training would then be considered (since the meeting they have been received).
9 Membership/recruitment issues
This stands at around 87 members. The next tranche of NICSSA funding will be applied for soon. The Chair informed Committee members that a reconciliation of the Club’s membership list with that held by NICSSA revealed a number of areas for clarification. These include:
* Club members who have not recorded with NICSSA that NICS Ramblers is their nominated Club for subvention;
* Club members who appear to have resigned from NICSSA;
* Club members who appear to have not yet joined NICSSA;
* Spouse/partner members who do not appear to be on NICSSA database.
The Chair will be taking forward over the next few months. The Committee agreed it was important that this exercise was conducted carefully, given the impact it will have on our subvention from NICSSA.
10 Charity
A lengthy discussion took place with a number of worthy charities discussed. The meeting also noted that NICSSA would be running a campaign for ‘Tiny Life’ (premature babies) later this year. The Committee may decide to support both the NICSSA Charity and a small local Charity. It was agreed a decision would be taken in August.
11 AOB
Michael suggested the Club hold a joint walk/BBQ with the NI Student Branch of CIPFA (the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy - of which he is the NI Chair) – it would be an opportunity to possibly recruit younger members, many of whom work in the public sector. He suggested the Islandmagee walk/BBQ in July. The Committee agreed. Michael will arrange with the Sdnet Society of CIPFA.
12 Date of next meeting 11 June 2008.
Michael Carson
20 May 2008