10 March 2009

Annual General Meeting 2009

The AGM is scheduled for 16th March and this is your chance to have your say.

It is also the time when the committee is up for re-election.

Whilst all the committee are willing to stand for another year we welcome nominations from members who would like to serve on the committee. If there are members who feel they have something to offer and would like to stand then they will need to be proposed and seconded, there will then be a vote by the members present.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the committee for the hard work that they have put in over the last 12 difficult months to turn around a deficit from 2007 and to show a profit in 2008. As you know we are not a profit making club but no one likes to make a loss.

The committee put in a lot of their own time for the benefit of the club and the results of the Hut Weekends and the YHA & Socials arranged by Roy Haythornthwaite (Hut Secretary) and Marie Phelan (Social Secretary) are evident and we all give our thanks when we leave there are others on the committee who put in a lot of hours and although it is all appreciated they do not always get the thanks that they deserve. Both Roy and Marie are tireless in their efforts to book venues and then try to extract the fees for these functions.

Steve Maden (Vice Chairman & Newsletter Editor) Steve not only produces the monthly newsletter but also types the articles received that are hand written. The newsletter has to be copied and we still only have a basic copier which requires standing over it for about 5 hours, this then needs collating and stapling. We all receive a copy of this and over the past 30 years it has been an important vehicle for notifying members of future events and keeping them up to date with club affairs.

Gill Young (Booking & Membership Secretary) takes all the calls from prospective members, explains to them about the club then sends out the information sheet and produces the membership cards. She also takes all the telephone bookings for the monthly coach trips, collects all the monies, books the coaches and then 'juggles' the numbers and creates the coach lists. The number attending coach meets is rising and we have a lot of new members .

Both Gill and Steve Maden can usually be found at the front of the Burnley & Nelson coaches making sure that everyone is picked up and has returned to the coach at the end of the day.

Mike Squires (Treasurer) keeps all the clubs' financial matters under control, all the money collected by other committee members is passed to Mike for banking, this is why cheques may take up to 4 weeks before they are banked. At the end of the year Mike then produces the balance sheet ready for auditing and presentation to the AGM.

Stuart McDonald ( Club Secretary) is responsible for the records of the club, taking the minutes at each committee meeting and at the AGM. Stuart also organises walks in the Haslingden area in a bid to encourage members to join BMC.

Antony Lord (Webmaster) looks after the Club web site and this has brought in a lot of new members who found out about the club in this way. Antony is also organising the walk across the Larig Ghru this coming spring.

John Wilmot (Librarian) he has XX books and 200 maps which he stores at his home. He brings a selection on each trip and, if requested, will bring the books or maps of your choice if you wish to borrow them.

Paul Darcy (Merchandise) holds stock of the Polo shirts, Sweat shirts and Tracksters, a selection of these is available on the club trip or if in stock they can be ordered.

Whilst these are the main functions of each Committee Members there are always other jobs where they need to lend a hand. I do not want to put any prospective members off but thought it would be worthwhile explaining each function.

Steve Young