LOUGHBOROUGH BOAT CLUB COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
11.11.2014
7:45PM
LOUGHBOROUGH BOAT CLUB
Present: Keith Hudson, Dave McCaughan, Stuart Ward, Sandra Martin, Rob Parks.
Apologies: Mary Carswell, Don Wix
Minutes of previous meeting: The minutes were approved.
Matters Arising:
Boat mooring/pull in all but complete, requires sand and slabs laying.
Appointment of Gill to position of Membership Secretary: All present in agreement, Gill to be notified by RD.
Finance:
All memberships have been paid and new members are paying as they come through.
Social Account and Membership paying in books currently with Erica Gummery.
We have around an additional £2000 compared to the same time 2013, only major non-ordinary spend is the purchase of a heavy weight single (£1700) which came with speed coach and all associated wiring along with car transport rack.
Provisional go ahead approved for a signed blank cheque to be provided to whoever is purchasing stock in bulk for external events to save large outgoings on members accounts and having to wait for reimbursement. Social team to define set event prices for club and external, taking reasonable cost and mark-up into account.
Rowing and facilities development:
• Recovering of chairs etc
AF to be paid for work done only, once end pieces are complete for long unit on seating, to be asked an estimated completion date/encouraged to complete it. in regards to covering remaining tub chair, DM is arranging this with a third party, to hear back date/cost shortly.
• Erg purchase/update.
Approval given for the purchase of a new black Model D Concept 2 Erg (£860, raising an additional £10-£15 for LBC through Easy Fundraising) Row Perfect, new axel is required, should be around £130 (RP) Rob to confirm. When repaired, the row perfect machine will require a fixed position in the gym, potentially bolted down to prevent movement leading to damage sustained when moved around.
Junior membership has increased again, however currently there is only a small core of juniors are regularly attending sessions. The same is true for senior members, with ‘fair weather rowers’ not making the continued commitment through winter, it could lead to lacking numbers come membership renewal when those who wish to row and race are left without a crew.
An interest into gaining more (masters) female rowers. for all crews and members it would be beneficial to devise a long term/seasonal training plan to encourage everyone.
MC to forward on gym inventory and required equipment documents previously drawn up.
Coaching welfare and safety:
Catamaran is is nearly ready to be returned to the water, all going well and with numbers Sunday 16 Nov) sealing to be completed.
People are responding well to the video analysis and feed back from SW filming crews when on the water.
Vicky Haines and Kate Henry have attended Welfare course and have received certificates of completion.
Social activities/events:
Club Christmas dinner has been set at December the 6th 7PM onwards with Mike Targett to head up the kitchen team.
There is a 21st Birthday party with around 120 guests this Friday, 14th November, expecting to put a reasonable amount into the social fund.
A joint birthday party has been provisionally booked for January 17th, to be confirmed this Saturday (15th November).
Looking forward to next year there are already 3 weddings booked in, making use of grounds and boat shed.
SM is looking to create set prices for venue hire, boathouse (~£1500), grounds etc. for cases where there is ground hire only, we are looking to hire out our own equipment, chairs, tables, cutlery, crockery etc With a view at hiring out a marquee from us.
The website update and venue page has been instrumental in advertising us gaining bookings.
A reminder to be sent to everyone that holding social events helps raise funds for the boat club and keeps memberships down. We are always looking for more help, even if its 2hr one evening. DM to communicate.
Soar Head:
All is looking in good shape, ahead of schedule for remaining preparations. a total of 105 entries have been received do far with some clubs still to enter and others to add to their entries. Expecting to be over subscribed. Our restriction on junior entries was approved by the region, having had the details of the course put to them.
Website and communications:
DM Plenty of footfall coming from interest in the head race and the venue page is getting plenty of hits.
External committees/meetings:
Regional meeting was attended by KH recapping the new points/ranking system which is being introduced, everything positive about it.
Complaints were raised about the lack of regional training from official coaches and less members going through they Level 2 coaching course, likely due to the increase in fee for the course. an idea was raised about licensing coaches, however all present were in objection as it appears to be a way to remove the license should it be deemed.
Any other business:
Development plans:
Updated development plans to be sent on and updated online.
Lighting in carpark to be addressed, the timer for the flood light is no longer operational, and flood lighting the bridge to be looked at. KH to explore issue and make contact. a maximum of £400 has been an approved spend to sort something out.
Indoor lighting, lighting in boasted to be looked and and rewired making safe. KH to organise as with external lighting.
Cleaning:
How to police the cleaning? After giving the entire premises a proper clean (after soar head) it should only take a few minutes to clean everywhere, gym, changing rooms, club room etc. alternatively KH to approach the lady on the campsite and ask if she is willing to spend around 2 hours every fortnight cleaning, paid and with permission to walk her dog on our grounds. DM to email out to the club explaining the situation. It so often comes down to a select few for cleaning duties.
Fundraising Co-ordinator:
We currently don’t have one.
DM to email notifying club members of this situation with the goal of instigating a small team, not just a sole person to take on the role. The role is expected to incur raising money through external events (working with social team), grant applications, day-to-day small fundraising, and larger events, e.g. sponsored rows or additional club nights monthly/bimonthly as a suggestions.
KH raised a point to be readdressed periodically, re solar panel installation. Taking Bewdley Rowing Club as an example, they have a 10 kW installation which cost them around £26k. Since having the installation, they have seen their electric bills fall by 85% from around £100/month to about £15/month. With reduction in outgoings and the money coming in from putting back into the grid, they are on track for repayment after 10 years.
With LBC in use for less than 20h/week it seems a realistic long term way for club fundraising.
Next Meeting: Thursday 8th January 2015, 6:30PM at the Club House.