Committee List
A few words from the clubs committee, about their roles. If you have any Questions. Please feel free to contact usPresident: Dave Rowson
Firstly as President I would like to welcome one and all to the Lanchester Mountaineering Club, and
thank the outgoing president (Rob Fawn) for his contribution to the club.
For those who do not know me it is probably because I did not go to Coventry (Lanchester) Polytechnic, Coventry Polytechnic or Coventry University (which ever incarnation you like to think of it as). I can also say that I have never lived in Coventry (or anywhere near). In fact I went to uni in Southampton, and only ventured to the midlands to compete for the university athletics or hockey clubs. These days I am probably better known for my love of islands (being an islander myself), BBQs, food in general and socialising (ok beer drinking), I also still have an interest in sport (watching rugby and cricket in particular). I have even been known to climb the odd mountain on occasion!
So how did I end up being your President? Don’t ask me!
Having been told I was the first president of the club not to have been to the fore mentioned establishment I have since been told this is not true, was it just a ruse to get me to stand?
What is my role? Well may you ask, I certainly did (but maybe I should have done this before the election!!)
Apparently I am to act as an ambassador for the club according to the constitution (and yes when I read it I laughed as well,). The constitution also says the President is responsible for the coordination & running of the Club, and reporting to the Membership at the Club’s AGM. The president normally presides at and chairs meetings of the committee of the Club. In addition to what the constitution says I would particularly like to encourage the younger members of the club to actively partake in all aspects of the club. And of course I will be keeping the tradition of past Presidents in delegating anything that looks like resembling work to other far more competent members of the club!
Meets Officer: Alan Humphrey
After standing for a 3rd year & not being opposed, Alan is back to be a nuisance to anybody
that even hints that they are prepared to organize a meet, until it is done! Alan's role, as
a meets co-ordinator, involves compiling & updating a list of weekend trips, parties, social
gatherings and trips further afield. Although organizing meets throughout the year, he is a
point of contact for anyone who would like to arrange a meet (or several!) giving advice on
organizing meets, who to contact, good venues, etc.
Although the club is primarily a mountaineering club, due to the diverse interests of club members, any other suggestions for meets (& venues) are very welcome - especially unusual or new ideas. The aim is to make sure that there is a wide range of meets, in a variety of locations throughout the year.
Alan also works closely with the exec. of CUMS (the university club) to help them with their 1st term meets, which are joint with our club, but more importantly to avoid any clashes of trips. In the same way we will always endeavor not to clash with other events, so if you have anything coming up (Wedding, Bar Mitzvah) that will involve a large proportion of the club, please let the Meets Officer know (in confidence if you wish) so he can organize accordingly. Please inform the meet contact if you intend to go on a club meet, so that they know how many people to expect. This is essential on a hut meet, where space can be limited, or if you are bringing children - whether you’re own or someone else's.
Treasurer / Membership Officer:
My third year, and the club remains financially stable, membership fees remain the same and we continue to make a small profit. During the year I write the cheques that secure the huts and other accommodation that we stay in and also do the book cooking... oops! sorry,'book keeping'.
As membership secretary I encourage club membership and generally 'harass' people until they join. Indeed, we have yet another increase in membership to a club record of 67 members. I must have done something right.
I collect the annual subs and update the clubs database. With the aid of that, I am able to inform the BMC of your membership status so that they can bail you out when you burn down a mountaineering hut! I also have the joyful task of copying & pasting your mugshots on to membership cards and writing most of the stuff in the membership mailing (so thanks for reading this far!).
Secretary
This is my third year in this role. As secretary I am responsible for collating and archiving the club
records. Some documents such as the ‘Loudhailer’ provide a great insight into our club’s history.
Thanks to previous efforts we have an extensive collection of back issues. However we are still missing a few so any offers of back copies would be gratefully received (specifically from Autumn 1997 until 2003). Other documents such as meets attendance lists and route plans provide a vital record of events which can be referred to if needed long after the memories have faded, so please remember to send them to me after a meet.
My other main role is to organise and produce agendas for Committee meetings and AGM’s, and to compile and archive the minutes. If there are any items you would like on a meeting agenda please let me know.
Distribution Officer: Jonathan White
With no volunteers for Distribution Officer at the 2011 AGM, Jonathan stepped in temporarily to the role for the renewal mailings. Deciding that it wasn't that bad an experience after all, he's retained the role for the rest of the year. The job of the Distribution Officer is relatively straightforward - collating the club's various bits of info, and making sure that its sent to all the members in a timely fashion, but without overloading the members with extraneous junk mailings. To that end, the committee reviewed and updated the Mailing Calendar for 2011/12, and we're now working to that. All members now know what is needed, what is coming, and when. There will invariably be need to send the odd email out with more urgent info than can fit with the Calendar, but we're trying to keep those to a minimum.
Initially known as the 'Licker and Sticker', distribution has become easier over the years with the vast majority of members opting for electronic distribution as a cheaper and quicker method than post. We debated though that this can de-value the mailings - particularly the Loudhailer - with club mailings running the risk of being yet another email that people don't get round to reading. Also, some members evidently don't have much in the way of an electronic filing or retrieval system! Many organisations operate a mix of distribution methods, and this year all members received their first mailing as hard copy - including a bumper Loudhailer - and the feedback was very positive.
When not Licking, Sticking & Clicking, Jonathan is very interested in Cheese!
Loudhailer Editor: Madeleine White
One of the original aims of the Lanch was to keep in touch with mountaineering friends, and the newsletter is a valuable way of catching up on gossip, selling old kit, hearing about the meets you couldn't go on and finding out what everyone else is up to.
The Lanchester Loudhailer will be produced four times during the year with a spring, summer, autum and winter editions. I am always on the lookout for contributions of any description. The main thing to remember is it's your newsletter, so get those creative juices flowing and direct your missives to me. The Loudhailer contains meets lists, address list updates, details of forthcoming meets/parties and other articles.
Webmaster: Dan Goldsmith
My 3rd year in the job, my role still consists of keeping the website upto date, stopping spam from reaching the execs e-mail, and trying to improve our sites visibility on Google (Alan is now the number one Alan on the image search). and avoiding Facebook, Twitter and all those other "fads" that the kids are into nowadays.
Given that we haven't had a major website redesign in the past few years, this year I want to do some (not so major) redesign work to bring it up to the new web standards, along with one or two new features this year to try and boost the clubs profile.
In terms of the outdoors, I enjoy walking, climbing and caving, and more importantly I enjoy a beer and a rant. Knowing what the meets list is like, I am sure I can get one or more of these done this year
Youth Liaison Officer: Jane Stace
As Youth Liaison Officer, I am the key contact between the BMC and the club in managing Child Protection procedures. My role is to raise awareness of child protection issues within the club, to be aware of the BMC child protection policy and attend training to help me fulfill this role. As a teacher, I have experience of working with under 18’s, have awareness of child protection issues and risk assessments as I have run school trips abroad. I have been CRB checked.
I am on hand to advise the club on child protection issues, whether you are a parent, are under 18 and attending a meet or organising a meet please feel free to phone or email me with any questions regarding provision for under 18’s.
Cheese Development Officer: Jonathan White
Cheese is pretty important to this mountaineering club. As CDO, it is Jonathan's job to make sure that club members have the opportunity to broaden their enjoyment of cheese: through coordinating provision, education and training, plus custodianship of our club cheeseboard (Malcolm) and knives. When present on a meet, he will generally act as Cheese Warden, but can appoint others to cover this key duty in his absence - a great avenue for future CDOs to enter this fulfiling calling. This year will see the Club's commitment to cheese taken to whole new levels - see the Autumn 2011 Loudhailer for details.
Contact Jonathan if you want to know anything about local cheeses that are suitable for future meets, ancillary items such as biscuits or apple butter, or just wish to broaden your tastes. In order to work up an appetite, you'll find Jonathan on meets mostly walking or mountain biking, and when weather permits ski touring and winter climbing. Overseas expeditions tend to be to cold and sometimes high places.
C.U.M.S. Liaison Officer: Charli Wisbey
Membership to Lanch also gives access to the Coventry University Mountaineering Society (C.U.M.S.) trips and events – the club from which the founders of the 'Lanch' originated.
Throughout this upcoming student year CUMS have 9 weekend trips planned, and as liaison officer my job is to keep the Lanch informed of these CUMS trips, and equally, to keep us students informed of Lanch meets, particularly outside of term time. Being an active member of CUMS whilst still enjoying the odd “cheesing hour” at Lanch trips makes me well placed to perform both roles.
Lanch frequently offer assistance to the student club, especially when booking huts and passing on valuable knowledge, skills and experience. Maintaining close links will hopefully attract future graduates of the student society to become Lanch members.
© 2009-2012 Lanchester Mountaineering Club
