CMC

AGM Jan 12th 2005

 

Secretary’s Report.

 

 

Looking back over 2004, the club has seen another busy year.

We were keen to keep the club active and maintain membership, both I think have been achieved.

 

Last year the club had 32 members

This year it was 29

Although this is a slight reduction in numbers the clubs current members are actually more active than last year.

During 2004 we lost 8 members (4 were due to emigration) and gained 5 new ones, with another 9 people waiting to join this year.

This could potentially raise our membership for 2005 to 38 members, a significant increase.

 

Although the clubs policy is to only accept members with relevant experience, we have tried not to turn away novice members, but to encourage them, and give them the guidance and instruction they need to begin climbing safely outside.

This has been possible through the climbing wall facility at Writtle College, which has been a great asset to have the use of.

I would like to thank Wynn for all the hard work he has put in on our behalf to make the wall available for the clubs use, Thanks Wynn.

 

The wall is working so well that we will book it on a weekly basis from next week for a 6 week trial period so we can establish the usage and decide whether to continue these weekly sessions.

 

We aim to continue to support the new members and plan to have more novice meets where we can spend time helping you climb outside and develop your skills and confidence.

 

Last year we had a change in meets policy which entailed booking accommodation for some trips in advance, and organising them earlier than in previous years.

This meant committing club funds in advance, and a lot of organising for those running the meets, but it certainly proved very successful.

The meets to Tremadoc and the Lakes were well supported and enjoyed by all who went; it was good to see so many of the club out together having a good time.

We will maintain this policy this year so please let us know any areas or crags you wish to climb at so we can get it arranged in good time.

 

I also think the success of the meets this year has been due to having a designated meets officer, something we tried for the first time last year.

Whose responsible for running some meets, and to also liaise and help other people who are organising club meets to ensure every thing goes smoothly.

 

Piers has been very active in this role, and the keenness, effort, and time he has put in has helped the club significantly. Thanks Piers.

 

Also I would like to thank Tony and David our Chairman and Treasurer for the time and input they have had in running the club this year. Thanks it is very much appreciated.

 

As you may know the club is fully affiliated to the BMC, which gives us a number of club benefits but we do have to pay an affiliation fee.

Currently the club membership fee is £8.00 of which £6.25 is paid to the BMC.

For 2005 this will rise from £6.25 to £8.00 per member, which means an increase in our membership fee will be proposed.

 

The aim of the club is to be non profit making and keep the cost to its members as low as possible, whilst maintaining enough funds to run the club and enable us to be as active as possible.

Last year the club actually subsidised some meets accommodation from our funds for its members.

 

This year we will also be making a donation of £50.00 to Ogwen valley Mountain Rescue for the help they gave two of our members who were stranded whilst climbing on Tryfan, during the November N.Wales meet.

 

Although the CMC is a small club our aim is to be friendly and very active.

During 2004 we had 3 meets to North Wales, 1 Scottish trip, 1 lakes trip, several excursions to the Peak’s Gritstone edges, as formal club meets. Also club members were active themselves with trips to the French and Swiss Alps, limestone crags in the South of France , and bouldering at Fontainebleau, and the ultimate achievement of a CMC member during 2004 must be Wynn’s ascent ( with out Oxygen) of Cho Oyu an 8000m Himalayan Peak.

The CMC is a club where we want everyone to feel welcome and to participate fully.

Although the committee may be seen as organising and running the club, we want every one to participate fully so your ideas, suggestions, and views are important to us, no matter whether you have recently joined or have been a member for many years.

We want to know your thoughts and suggestions, I think the club has had a very successful year and 2005 will hopefully be just as enjoyable.

 

 

Simon Clark

CMC secretary