Chelmsford YHA Group

Chelmsford and District YHA Local Group

Present:

• Jim Dixon – acting secretary
• Dave Plummer – treasurer
• Alison Selby – newsletter editor
• Dave Julian – chairman
• Lynn Hawkins – committee member
• Trudy Warner – committee member
• George Sweiskowski
• Christina Booth
• John Booth
• Mike Patton
• Robert Zemurs
• Jane Townsend
• Clive M
• Gerry Laconca

Apologies:

• Tom Yarwood
• John Maton

Since Lorna has not been to three committee meetings, and is now established in Leicester, the committee unanimously decided to remove her as secretary in line with the constitution which states that 2/3 of the committee need to agree.

Dave Plummer proposed a vote of thanks for Lorna's service as secretary for over 10 years (nobody could remember exactly how many) and suggested the group buy her a gift. Suggestions included:

A new pair of wellies

Field and Trek Vouchers

A reproduction old map of Chelmsford (or one the ones George still uses)

Oxfam Vouchers

The members present agreed that Jim Dixon should act as secretary for the AGM in Lorna's absence.

Copies of the minutes from the 2001 AGM were passed around. The 2001 AGM minutes were agreed by those present.

Chairman's report: - Dave Julian

Dave ran through the main trips and events since October 2001. The group had returned to normal activities after the Foot and Mouth crisis in spring and summer 2001.

• Meerbrook hostel. Some members went to Alton Towers on the Saturday, and some walked on the Roaches on the Sunday. Everyone got soaked on the Sunday.

• Blackboys weekend was like a smaller version of "New England In The Fall".
• The postponed Maldon Canal walk finally took place with the customary large meal in the pub.

• New year trip, lots of snow in the Brecon Beacons, but lovely views and cloudless days. Play cards, and Monopoly, and drank alcohol.

• Broadstairs weekend. Surprisingly good weather for coastal walk on Saturday but rained Sunday.
• The Maldon to Chelmsford canal walk took place at its usual time of year.
• The Magic Man evening was excellent.

• Llanddeusant weekend in the western Brecon Beacons.
• Easter in Blencathra centre, a new venue to CYHA, as Matterdale centre closed indefinitely. 3 days of excellent weather.

• Jordans "slash and burn" gardening weekend; the CYHA Ground Force team in action again. This weekend was very successful but marred when Tom's car got burgled.

• Pembrokeshire bank holiday trip to Trefin and Pwll Deri. Lovely coastal walks from hostel to hostel and three days of very good weather.

• Scotland trip for Jubilee (and World Cup) week, staying in Gairloch hostel and then sharing Pitlochry hostel with a coachload of Argentina-supporting Glaswegian school kids.
• First aid evening including a chance to resuscitate the lovely Annie.
• Annual pitch and putt; Jim got the wooden spoon.
• Midsummer cycle ride to the Duck.

• Wells-Next-The-Sea: brand-new hostel; thousands of Tamils descended on Wells beach after a Pilgrimage to Walsingham
• The Chairman fell down the stairs cracking a vertebra and spent the rest of the month in Broomfield hospital.
• Chris and Janet's Clare walk and Barbeque.
• Jim took over Dave's cycle ride to the Hoop.

• Castle Hedingham cycle ride: rain and flooding in Braintree again
• Slaidburn bank holiday weekend.

• Woody's top weekend.

• Jane Lawrence returned from her round the world trip.
• Lorna left Chelmsford and moved to Leicester.

Secretary's Report: Jim Dixon

Jim is acting secretary.

13 new members since last AGM.

• John Maton
• Mike Patton
• Dave Stearns
• Joy Lawrence
• Ron Mathews
• Anja Mathews
• Jason Talbot
• Nicky Spurr
• Chris Carter
• Caroline Hansford
• Beverly Stewart
• James Knight
• Rachel Joiner

Of these, nine have been to several events which is good, and James Knight has already arranged a successful cycle ride. The recruits have been a mixture of word-of-mouth and from the group web site.

Since the last AGM we have had two marriages:

• Roz and Waldi
• Chris Hawkins and Charmain,

and sadly one death; David Tennant.

Treasurer's Report: Dave Plummer

Dave passed round printed sheets of his accounts.

I have inserted Dave Plummer's sheet above, but thought that explanations of some line-items were worth minuteing.

Over the last three years, the YHA has operated a local groups' discount scheme, where, at the end of each the year, the group reports the number of bed-nights spent in England and Wales hostels, and can claim one free bed-night per ten nights spent. In previous years, this has been used as a discount on individual trips. This year, the free bed-nights are shown as a separate income item. This scheme may be cancelled next year as the YHA is short of money after the Foot and Mouth crisis.

Consists of £10 excess from a pub meal, the princely sum on £1.56 bank interest, non members on the mailing list, and £5.96 retained credit from lapsed members.

Consists making up the balance of the magician's fee of £50, after the whip-round, donations to the Tear Fund and Red Cross for Wednesday, and £40 for the plants and the BBQ for the Saffron Walden evening.

Other costs includes £30 for the www.chelmsfordyha.org.uk domain name.

Reserves are used for up-front deposits for booking trips, as much as a year in advance. Hostels are requiring larger deposits than in previous years. Dave P commented that £1303 reserve is not a large number compared to the annual turn over of the group, but that it is enough.

Trip statistics: - Dave P.

For October 2001-October 2002:

• Total nights away 38 nights per person

• Average cost: £16.59 per night
• Average number on trip: 19 people
• Largest trip: 39 people (Wells)
• Smallest trip: 9 people (Jordans)
• Dearest trip: £148 (Scotland)
• Cheapest trip £11 (joint between Castle Hedingham &

• Sausages consumed 600
• Milk consumed 300 pints

Since Dave started as treasurer in 1990, £111,000 has been spent on trips. Someone who has done every trip since then would have been away 460 nights, and spent £6475.

The accounts for last year (2000/2001) were agreed as accurate by the group's auditor (and chairman) Dave Julian.

The meeting appointed Dave Julian as auditor again. It was pointed out that Dave J is not a signatory for the club cheque book.

Dave P will update the signatories for the cheque book to the current committee.

Jim Dixon elected as secretary. (Proposed by Dave Plummer)

Existing committee members agreed to be on committee for a further year, and were unanimously elected by the meeting.

The committee until October 2002 is now:

• Dave Julian chairman
• Dave Plummer treasurer
• Alison Selby newsletter editor
• Jim Dixon secretary
• Trudy Warner member without portfolio
• Lynn Hawkins member without portfolio

No written motions were given to the secretary before the meeting.

Some other YHA local groups have liability insurance, covering group members.

YHA provides a limited insurance cover for Local Groups but it is believed to cover only third parties, ie. not members participating in group activities, although no one knows exactly what it covers.

Members of this group sign a disclaimer, but this may not be enough if someone sues for negligence.

Dave Plummer has investigated liability insurance as used by other groups, which would cover members participating in group activities. The premium is expected to be about £200. This cost could be covered either by a levy on trips, or an increase in the subscription.

The meeting agreed that insurance should be pursued by the treasurer submitting a proposal form, and a decision being taken in a later committee meeting.