Activities Weekend and EGM/AGM
Snowdonia, 5-7 November 2021

Report by Diana Rayner, Chairman

About 100 members enjoyed a sociable and busily active weekend (incorporating the EGM/AGM) in early November – at Plas y Brenin National Outdoor Centre in North Wales. Having cancelled a similar weekend in autumn 2020, we were all delighted to meet up in this rather special place.

People began to gather on the Friday, for supper and a catch-up in the bar. Evening entertainment was provided by Neil Cox, who had led an expedition to Greenland in 2019. He took us all over the globe, from the Amazon rainforest, through the sunny sands of the Israeli desert, and finally to the misery of an Icelandic winter.

Those who had booked on the First Aid course had to be ready soon after breakfast on both Saturday and Sunday, and they could be seen at various times practising skills in the classroom, or hurrying to treat their injured volunteers, both inside and outside the building. Groups set off for organised mountain biking, introduction to ski touring, an ecology walk, kayaking, and GPS navigation. Others had booked self-rescue for climbers, avalanche awareness and mountain medicine, and a workshop on Alpenvereinaktiv.com All arrived back in time for the EGM/AGM meeting late on Saturday afternoon, with rosy cheeks and the satisfaction of keeping fit while improving their outdoor techniques.

The well-attended EGM and AGM, held in the comfortable main lecture theatre, proceeded smoothly through the necessary formalities. As well as 100 or so in the room, about a dozen members attended remotely. Twelve Resolutions to make changes to the Articles of Association and Bye-Laws were approved. These enshrined in the constitution the new management structure of Board plus Activities Team and three other committees. Other updates included correcting and refining parts of the wording, and simplifying some Club processes. Members might like to note, for instance, that the deadline for submitting a resolution for consideration at the next AGM has been reduced from six months to four months. The changes are all detailed in the AGM Booklet 2021, on the Club Website under About Us / Company Information and Club Management. The Directors’ Report recorded the huge amount of work during the year by the IT sub-group to set up (on time and within budget) the new membership system and the new website. The meeting received the very good Risk Management Audit Report, as well as the Financial statements.

Outgoing Chairman, Tony Cooper, was recognised for steering us through choppy waters. Vice-Chairman Tim Morley’s sterling work on the IT was applauded, as was Nigel Phipps’ energy and wisdom as Treasurer. The Activities Team, led by Alex Gymer and Nigel Phipps, and kept in order by Secretary, Chris Loy, had excelled themselves with the exciting winter tours and training programme. Tish Woulds, affectionately known as a ‘lean, mean, fit machine,’ stood down from the Activities Team after co-ordinating Club Meets for eight years. Tish might be leaving the committee, but she’s still organising meets which are famous for being particularly friendly and welcoming, with impeccable organisation, and cheerfully communal cooking. These members, as well as many other hard-working volunteers are very much appreciated, and the meeting offered them warm and heartfelt applause.

Two long-standing and active volunteers – Mike Garrett and Allan Hartley – received the surprise accolade of Honorary Life Membership. Mike Garrett had more or less invented the Club’s IT systems, and kept them going for years, as well as spending 23 years on the various committees (seven years as Club Chairman). He was described – from his mountain-leading days – as ‘steady as a rock’ in a crisis. All of us, especially the more recent Directors, recognise Mike’s skill and dedication, his extensive knowledge about the Club, and his generous willingness to advise and help his colleagues. Allan Hartley is well-known to Newsletter readers for his lively and interesting Hut and Alpine Flower features, among other things. He served the Club on the Executive Committee for six years, then three years as President. As Alpine Rep he introduced the successful Übungsleiter training programme. Allan has continued to stimulate Club activities, running meets for members of all ages and abilities, and he pulled out the stops in organising the 70th anniversary celebrations at the Rudolfshütte.

Elections to the Board of Directors included Tony Cooper, standing for one more year. Diana Rayner, formerly Club Secretary, was voted in as Chairman to replace him. Two Directors who were co-opted in May 2021 were confirmed: Alex Gymer and Kevin Thomas. New Directors Ben Palmer and Bella Hughes (who is also the new Secretary) were approved. Our President, Jacky Brown, was confirmed in her post, with thanks for her genuine and impartial interest in Club management.

The traditional Saturday night special dinner was judged to be excellent, with culinary delights such as Chicken Liver Parfait and soda bread, Vegetable Pithivier, Welsh Lamb Shank, and Welsh Merlin Cheesecake, not to mention the Sticky Toffee Pudding. A whip-round was presented to the staff at Plas y Brenin, who were unanimously declared to have done us proud. This being still Covid-time, we’d been asked to test before arrival, and to keep masks on indoors, including at the meeting. It seemed a small price to pay for the luxury of face-to-face Club sociability at long last. Bring on the next one!

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