Minutes of meeting held 25/9/23

 

Present – Peter Baker (President), Darren Haynes (Chairman), Graham Jeffs (Treasurer), Dan Street (Road Race Secretary), Paget Cohen (Press Secretary and Club Rides Co-Ordinator) 

Apologies for absence – Anne Baker (Secretary and Membership Secretary), Joe Benians (Time-Trial Secretary) and Gina Boakes (Women’s Representative)

 

Minutes of Last Meeting (30th March 2023) – Accepted.

 

Officers Reports

 

1. Chairman (DB) – 

• Roughly half of the Evening 10s were eventually run, albeit with low numbers racing and we still struggle to find people willing to marshal at the Boship roundabout.
• Neil Edwards had done a great job organising and promoting the other time-trials and has agreed to keep that responsibility for 2024.
• Race numbers are low, but we do have some new to time-trialling.  Agreed we should do more to promote our Middlemarkers and other competitions as incentive.
• Poster promoting the Club is pending DB selecting photos.  PC agreed to make sure DB had access to the shared Photo Gallery.
• There is a problem persuading members to buy, and wear, Club kit.  PC agreed to encourage Club Riders to do so when promoting Club Rides.
• Barry Mitchell has agreed to create some new event signage to replace and supplement existing stock.  DS agreed to undertake a stock-take and pass our requirements on to him.

 

2. Secretary (AB) – Nothing to report.
3. Membership Secretary (AB) – 

• Currently 76 members of whom 4 Second Claim, with 1 pending payment
• 8 female members of whom 2 Second Claim

 

4. Treasurer (GJ) – 

• Currently £10,232.36 in bank balance and a small amount in PayPal account
• DB to investigate purchase of a small gazebo for use at events

 

5. Time-Trial Secretary (JB) –

• Strongly advises setting dates for 2024 TTs early as can always cancel nearer the time if necessary.

 

6. Road Race Secretary (DS) –

• Crits went ahead and were a success.  Field went from low 20s at Crit 1 to low 30s from 3rd and final Crit.
• Crits were run at a loss to the Club of roughly £400 total for the three races.
• The Committee agreed that this was a sustainable loss in the short term for the benefit of keeping this long-standing event going.
• More use of Instagram to promote events.
• Saturday Forge Training Rides are to continue into the winter providing the weather is good enough.  WhatsApp Group to be used to keep riders informed.
• DS to speak to John Sharples of trainSharp about an agreement to subsidise LWCC members to undertake training or a discount.

 

7. Press Secretary (PC) –

• Still trouble obtaining photos of members wearing the new Club kit when racing time-trials.  DB observed that only one regular time-trialist had actually bought the new kit.

 

8. Women’s Representative (GB) – Nothing to report.

9. Club Ride Coordinator (PC) –

• Richard Roberts had joined Chris Hough, PC and DB as an off-road Ride Leader
• Off-road Rides enjoyed by those who attend, but numbers are low.
• Not helped by Richard Roberts and Chris Hough often being unavailable.
• We have continued to offer faster “A” and slower “B” Rides when numbers are high and there are Ride Leaders available, but this was done on an ad hoc basis.
• Numbers on Club Rides are consistently healthy.
• PC agreed to encourage Club Riders to wear Club kit to promote the Club.

 

Any Other Business

 

1. 2024 Time-Trials:-

 

• Suggestion to pool resources with Eastbourne Rovers who also use G10/87 A22 Boship course as that might solve the issue with low numbers and shortage of marshals.
• It was noted that ERCC also runs midweek evening TTs on other courses, but agreed this should only apply to Evening 10s.
• It was also noted that ERCC run their Evening 10s on a Thursday and AB pointed out that this would clash with Crits for 3 weeks.
• JB has opened discussion with Peter Moon of ERCC.
• Option to switch night to Tuesday is not feasible as time-keepers are not available that night.
• DS expressed concern over rising traffic levels and perceived danger of G10/87 course.  Committee agreed to monitor the situation and to use the alternate “Broyle” course.
• GJ wondered if a course could be devised heading north-west up the Broyle and turning at a roundabout.  Investigation needs to be done as to feasibility.
• PC proposed resurrecting Circuit of Earwig with a new finish down Ham Lane approaching Ringmer.  Again feasibility investigation required.

 

2. LWCC/TMC Crits Venture:-

• The Club has been approached by TMC (John Powell) proposing to “bookend” our Crit series with extra races before and after, making five in total.
• It was noted that TMC has all the resources to run Crit which would ease the burden on LWCC.
• However DS was adamant that our Crits should be open to Cat 4 racers, which was agreed by the Committee.  Concern was expressed that opening events to Cat 2 racers could make them less competitive.
• DS and DB to discuss further with John Powell.

 

3. Prize Giving:-

• DB thinks he now has list of all of the trophy winners for 2022
• But the Committee felt it was probably too late to hold a one-off ceremony as we still need to get all trophies (and medals) engraved and book a venue.
• Agreed to try to arrange a prize giving event for 2023 with 2022 being recognised at the same event.
• PB noted that there would be no 25-mile or 50-mile trophies to be awarded as nobody had qualified.
• DB to contact JB to piece together 2023 results.  PC agreed to help if able.

 

4. Social Event:-

• Committee agreed summer 2023 was a success and should be repeated.
• GB was not present to comment, so no news as to whether any other events in the “pipeline”.

 

5. Cycle Holidays:-

• Club has been approached by Sporta Bike+ offering to arrange package cycle holidays if we provide dates and a destination.
• PC agreed to liaise and ask for an example of a trip they had arranged, what was and wasn’t included and a rough cost per member.

 

6. Appin Sports Clothing:-

• Club has been approached by a company offering to provide cycle clothing.
• GJ had looked into it and thought that while the products were competitively priced, they did not look of a quality we would like to associate with and there was no obvious demand from the membership for the kind of clothing accessories they produced.  He would politely decline their offer.

 

7. Committee Posts:-

• JB has made clear his intention to stand down at the end of year.  AB and GJ have expressed a desire to stand down.
• The Committee agreed that they were already struggling to run Club with Committee members performing multiple roles.
• If these roles could not be filled then there was a chance of Club ceasing to be able to run.
• PB proposed a written letter to be posted to all members informing them of the seriousness of the situation.
• DB agreed to draft a letter and include a newsletter in the hope of reminding members of the reasons to keep the Club going.

 

8. 2024 AGM:-

• Suggestion to hold at a pub in an effort to attract more attendees.
• Date of Tuesday 11th January agreed upon.
• DS agreed to contact Kings Arms in East Hoathly to enquire.

 

9. Website:-

• DB to approach his contact with a view to redesigning the website over the winter.