HULL SPRINGHEAD HARRIERS A.C.
MINUTES OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2nd FEBRUARY 2015
Meeting held at Club House
Present:Kathryn Hamilton, Julie Dimaline, Margaret Bushnell, Sandra Barrass, Karen Park,
Maureen Kirby, Margaret Sadler, Lynda Taylor, Emma Wilson, Adam Thompson, Paul
Maltby, Brian Long, Cath Wadforth, Steve Warran (chair) Rob Withnall, Keith Ross,
Chris Denley, Sean Harkin, Gaynor Harkin.
Apologies:Pat Warran, Martyn Precious, Sally Precious, Denise Olds, Stuart Hamilton
SW opened the meeting at 19:32 and began the meeting by inviting one minute’s silence
in memory of John Kirby, who sadly died last year. John was a longstanding and loyal
member of the Club, both as a runner and a social member.
1. Approval of Previous Minutes
Matters from the minutes of the Annual General Meeting 3rd February 2014 were
discussed by SW. The Club banner and the new jackets had been obtained. Advertising
had been tried (Dan Barrass had advertised in the Events page of the Hull Daily Mail).
Revamping the website had been tried. Merging with another club had been seen to be
inappropriate.
The minutes were accepted as a true & accurate record. Proposed KP, seconded JD.
Agreed unanimously.
2. Secretary’s Report - CD
Membership
Last Year Full
1st
2nd Social/NonLife
EA
Member Claim Claim
Runner
Member Reg
Totals
Total
Members
Total
Runners
Now –
40
57
40
35
5
13
4
38
Full
1st
2nd Social/NonLife
EA
Member Claim Claim
Runner
Member Reg
Totals
Total
Members
Total
Runners
20
20
1
19
4
21
43
21
Total Members dropped by 20 (50%)
Total Runners dropped by 19
Social / Non-Runners increased by 6.
Changes to Membership as follows:New running Member Kathryn Hamilton (was social)
New Member – Emily Booth
John Kirby – deceased
Resignations – Will Hawkins / Glenn Halsey / Katrine Denley / Wendy Burnett / Nicky
Fraser / Phil Dewberry, Paul Cartwright, Susan Walgate, Dale Marriot.
The following did not re-join – Nigel Denton, Phil Harvey, Sharon Mason, Carole Inman,
Pete Smith, Kate Thompson, Sharon Tummons, Cat Whitfield. These people have been
presumed to have left.
Sarah Clinch (member in 2011) – officially transferred 1st claim to Fitmums.
Club Fees 2015 – Committee recommendation to keep unchanged – vote later.
EA fees – These have increased again to £12 each + £100 club registration
London Marathon – One Club place which went to Dan Barrass in the draw at the
Christmas Handicap night. CD wished Dan well in his training.
Affiliations – England Athletics & YVA
Website
CD had a mysterious connection problem with Club website for some time, preventing
activities thereupon. This was also a mystery to the website provider. The matter
eventually resolved itself for reasons unknown.
Thanks to CW, LT & SB for their input (results, training schedule) and to Katrine Denley
for her continued assistance in putting this information onto the website, despite having
already left the Club.
Yet again all the website management was left to CD & Katrine.
Although the website works very well in itself, it isn’t user-friendly as regards making
up-to-date and current changes. To make changes requires going to the provider, which is
inconvenient. Aspects of the style of this particular website are, in the light of experience,
perhaps not entirely appropriate to the Club’s needs and need modifying.
Hull Marathon Consultation Group - Thanks to Dan Barrass & Martyn Precious for
kindly agreeing to attend the Hull Marathon Consultation Group. This Group is wellorganised and they are asking for volunteers to be marshals. KH said their website was
good and people could volunteer by using the website, which is linked to Facebook.
Personal Note – CD is resigning today as Secretary and from the Club after 24 years, as
he no longer can do any serious running and has other pursuits now. CD thanked the Club
for comradeship in running during this time, 15 marathons & countless ½ marathons, 10
mile & 10k races. SW thanked CD for his contribution and led applause.
3. Chairman’s Report - SW
Accounts
SW first handed out an accounts sheet and went through the accounts, having assumed
the Treasurer’s role following the resignation of Katrine Denley in the autumn.
SW thanked MK for managing the Bonus Ball and her general support for the Club.
Income – bus income down, clothing up, nothing for barbecues or presentations.
Expenditure – bus hire is up.
There is a net deficit of £516, cf breaking more or less even in 2013.
Balance – there is plenty of cash: £6245 despite losses.
Chairman’s Report
SW thanked CD for his work as Secretary, and the Committee for their work and support,
and all the Members for their support.
Membership – everything has been tried to increase membership: the new banner, giving
out cards, newspaper ads. It is hard to attract new members. People move away, are
getting older, and so on.
The Club has enough money for 5 or 6 years, but the Clubhouse lease expires in 2017 and
SW would not sign up for another 17 years. A short term lease might be worth
considering if such a thing were negotiable. But without the Clubhouse the Club would
need to think seriously about whether or not to continue. Unless someone volunteers to
be the next Secretary and Treasurer, the Club will really struggle. The alternative could
be to join the Road Running Association instead of England Athletics.
SW again thanked MK for cleaning the Clubhouse and opening up on the running nights.
SW is standing down as Chairman today after 3 years, due to other commitments.
4. Appointment of Officers and Committee
SW asked for nominees.
Nominations:Position
Chairman
Secretary
Treasurer
Committee
Nominee
Karen Park
Sean Harkin
Paul Maltby
Sandra Barrass
Lynda Taylor
Cath Wadforth
Gaynor Harkin
Rob Withnall
Proposer
Sandra Barrass
Margaret Sadler
Brian Long
Steve Warran
Steve Warran
Steve Warran
Steve Warran
Steve Warran
Seconder
Julie Dimaline
Cath Wadforth
Adam Thompson
Cath Wadforth
Cath Wadforth
Chris Denley
Cath Wadforth
Cath Wadforth
The above nominees were all elected unopposed and so will form the new Committee.
5. Fixing of Annual Membership Fees for 2015
Fees for the coming year were ratified as remaining unchanged from last year.
6. A.O.B.
RW said he would continue as Trips Organiser provided that someone agreed to help him
in the form of a “shadow” to issue reminders, this being due to a medical problem. SW
thanked RW for all he had done over many years in organising the very successful trips.
SW thanked GH for her homemade cakes on many Club occasions.
KP as Madam Chairman Elect thanked SW for his work as Chairman & previously
Treasurer in recent years, wished him an enjoyable retirement, and led applause.
AT asked when registration took place. It was clarified by CD that Club registration takes
place during February each year (this being Club practice – other Clubs almost certainly
do the same), and then the new Membership is registered en masse with England
Athletics in April.
PM asked to set a date for the next Committee meeting. March the 4th was decided.
BL said the Club is not sustainable for men as many of the women go off and do short
slow routes rather than what is scheduled, and with so few men the chances are that those
that do turn up often have to run on their own. KR agreed and said in those circumstances
one might as well run from home. A discussion ensued about pack running and inspiring
people to turn up. Disparate running is a disincentive. JD said that ex-members spreading
bad comments about the Club did not help.
BL felt that dialogue with other clubs should still be valid, looking at the possibility of
joining another Club. SW pointed out that without the offer of the Clubhouse, there was
little incentive for another club to subsume Hull Springhead Harriers, they would simply
say join their club instead.
A discussion ensued about the website and its usability and effectiveness as a means of
communication. Other clubs link to Facebook which is alive with daily exchange of
comments. The Club does have a Facebook page but this wasn’t used. It was agreed to
look again at Facebook.
SW closed the meeting at 20:45
Chris Denley, Secretary 3/2/15