Chairperson – Andy Bateman
Minutes – Angela Benham
Present Gill Platt, Ian Muir, Arthur Howarth, Geoff Boyling, Jo Mills, Liz Pickles, Barrie Dobson, Gill Cox, Charlie Fisher, Adrian O’Connor, Angela Benham, Andy Bateman, Jan Lancaster, John Shears (non member)
Apologies Chris Smart, Linda Goss, Colin Knowles, Richard Gore, Andy Bullivant, Humphrey Southall
Barrie Dobson thanked the National Secretaries for taking over the role of Treasurer as a result of John Whitfield’s indisposition.
4 Accounts – Administration/Hut/Access&Conservation/Trip
5 signatories- Adrian O’Connor, Angela Benham, Rod Eastwood, Andy Bateman, Andy Bullivant
Trip Account signatories – Arthur Howarth, Humphrey Southall, Dermot McKibbin
The aim of the NC will be to set up a more transparent structure as regards treasuring and finance. At present all three National Secretaries are acting Treasurers.
Reaffirmation of cheque signatories at AGMs is a possibility.
No legal obligation to have accounts audited (would cost approx. £2000) but require income/expenditure accounts for members/bank loans/grants.
The club is financially healthy. It has generated surpluses over time & has a good track record. However this needs to be proved to an outside body.
Concern was expressed for John’s health. Cards expressing good wishes could be sent.
Arthur will draw up proposals for a National Trips calendar for the next three years.
The need for organisers to be in place ideally 6 months before trips was emphasised.
Sept. 2002 - Aran
Feb. 2003 -Laggan ORGANISER NEEDED
Easter 2003 - Smiddy ORGANISER NEEDED
Whit 2003 - Anglesey
June 2003 -Cairngorms
Summer Hols – Family Camping
Issues regarding food and travel costs were discussed.
Food costs per day discussed.
Mileage includes miles to and from venue plus miles covered while on trip presuming transport generally shared eg. 2/car 5/car
This policy could be abandoned but sometimes club gains financially as well as loses from it.
Another option – people take own cars & pay own transport costs.
Geoff Boyling – mentioned another club’s rule – one day of week everybody does the same activity. Club’s purpose to have club meets not provide opportunities for an individual’s personal trip.
Arthur asked to gather information on who goes – lower bands/higher bands and what influences choice – cost, date of trips-school hols or not,working hours
Geoff Boyling - Red Rope member from Kendal had expressed an interest in taking on the training officer role. Proposed – Jan Lancaster Seconded – Andy Bateman
Geoff will be hopefully be involved with members of the Tirsuli North Wall Expedition team on the Joint Coventry/Leicester skill sharing/training/NC weekend due to take place on July 5/6.
Each regional representative receives regular monthly membership lists.
Local officers are asked to go to regional reps. if a list is required.
Liz said if people remained members for first 3 years they usually remained for life.
Grey area and Cling-ons
Some individuals let membership lapse for 4/5 months –if without explanation their membership is backdated to when they should have joined.
Some individuals participate in Red Rope activities for a long period of time without joining the club.
Obviously Red Rope wants to encourage new people to come along and sample activities but the desire is that those who join in over a long period of time will commit themselves to membership.
Trip organisers/Walk leaders – may need to ask for membership cards
20% extra for non-members
Red Rope BMC insurance is not on a name basis.
Jan Lancaster had prepared a survey form to ask people who left Red Rope after one year or two the reasons why (Foot & Mouth could be an issue)
Background – Australian appalled at state of track to Ben Nevis.
Adrian referred to Access & Conservation Fund possibly being used towards a project to improve the path. Good cause. Good publicity.
Adrian & Charlie Fisher will investigate whether this is a good idea & report back.
Thanks expressed to Colin Knowles for writing response on behalf of Red Rope to the Council’s proposals with input from Adrian & Angela.
Plans for new cycle and pathways approved generally. Council back to the drawing board as regards other proposals.
Barrie will contact Dave Timms’ father in Sheffield for the design.
Cath Weir is an artist if new design required. Geoff Boyling works with fabrics.
Background – non-member friend of member asked if they could advertise their villa in bulletin.
Jan Lancaster felt it was easier to have a blanket ban of all adverts.
Adrian said a huge amount of money spent on publishing bulletin – adverts could save a lot of money
Jan’s proposal /Seconded Liz Pickles – We will not have adverts in Red Rope – Defeated
Andy Bateman’s proposal/ Seconded ? – With exception of Red Rope members’ small ads, all adverts will be taken at commercial rates - Passed
The Thirlmere Youth Hostel – a possible Red Rope Hut
Background - mid January became aware Youth Hostel selling off properties.
Adrian & Angela visited Thirlmere YH. in a prime site at St John’s-in-the-Vale
5 miles from Keswick in the Lake District on a B road just off A591 with good public transport. Pub 10 minutes walk.
Handy for Skiddaw. Blencathra, Helvellyn, Bardale Fells(canoeing) – good cycling, walking, climbing, lake boat trips, shopping
Building – single storey, wooden – war building in 1940’s, school in 1950’s
1979 became Youth Hostel – have bed occupancy rates for last 4 years – last used as hostel in October 2001 but usually closed over winter.
Now not considered of high enough standard to act as Youth Hostel.
3 bedrooms sleeping 28(12+12+4) plus voluntary warden’s room, which could sleep 4+
Youth Hostel has planning permission for new £315,000 30-bed hostel but no money.
No reason to believe planning permission for new building wouldn’t be transferred.
Youth Hostel regard the building as valueless because it cannot be upgraded to new hostel standards for family rooms etc.. Two parts of the roof leak.
It is run down and dilapidated and needs cleaning up but it is serviceable. It has mains services and drainage. Parking area could be extended. There is space for camping and it is of a size to accommodate a Red Rope AGM.
Adrian said that 12 bed spaces at 4.50 per person sold every weekend throughout the year would cover the cost of a bank loan – there is also money in the hut fund. John Shears said that increasing bed occupancy would increase funds.
Jo Mills asked what other properties the YHA were selling? Was this the mostpractical one for Red Rope? Adrian said the next best was the stone property thathad been looked at in Llanberis. At approx £150,000 this was felt to be too expensiveto buy & manage.
Geoff Boyling said that development, renewal and Foot & Mouth grants could be available to us to improve the building.
Arthur Howarth said NC Committee members should be wary of financial risk.
Adrian said that the financial climate was different now. Interest rates are down. Money is more readily available. Having spoken to several banks there had been no mention of personal guarantees.
By Special General Meeting a loan document will be drawn
up.
Do we have the organisational structure to market the hut at present?
- there is the BMC hut list/website
- 15 Red Rope regions who it is assumed would like to go
- members have contact with wide & varied groups who would be interested in this kind of accommodation
It would not be an outdoor centre as Arthur feared. Detailed discussion regarding fees charged would come later. The bottom line would be there was a loan that had to be paid.
Andy Bateman pointed out that there is a specific procedure for making a decision regarding the purchase of a hut. This is at a Special General Meeting. Not all will be able to attend but it is part of the constitution that there is not a postal vote. Members come to the SGM get information, discuss, share views and vote.
Adrian said any information can go on website.
No point having a SGM without it:-
- 3 years income/expenditure accounts
- Business Plan
- Likely level of bookings (based on info from other huts)
- Minimum/flat rate fee required
- Overheads
- Full work schedule as to what required to make a Red Rope AGM function
- JCB costings (to enlarge parking area)
- Third Party Liability
- Fire Standard Certificate
Saturday
15 June 2002 12 – 5 pm.
at
Manchester Bridge Club, Palantine Road, Manchester
A variety of workshops giving for and against information covering topics such as:
Who will use the hut/How will it be paid for/What is the building like/
The Business Plan/
Question and answer information in the next bulletin
e.g. Whereis it? Public Transport? Washing facilities? How many does it sleep?
Important to solicit an articulate opposition and support people who have a principled objection to the project.
At the SGM there would be a principled discussion of Red Rope members’ vision of a hut and a yes/no decision.
How many people could write articles giving the pros and cons for a club hut?
ORGANISATION OF SGM
Need to disseminate as much information as possible to members by all means possible.
Jo Mills said she thought it was important that people should beable to go and look at the hut before the SGM. Angela and Adrian said it iseasy to get a good look through the windows as it was all ground floor, it isdifficult to get access inside but they would try and arrange a day when someonewould come with the key.
Edited Minutes of April NC on website ASAP. Insert will go in April Bulletin.
Regional Co-ordinators to organise transport to Manchester This will be subsidised by Red Rope National on banding system.
London – Gill Platt
Manchester – Richard Gore
Sheffield – Jo Mills
West Midlands – Gill Cox
The SGM will confirm or reject the offer to buy the Thirlmere Youth Hostel as a Red Rope Club Hut.
BEFORE SGM
The NC Committee agreed that a formal offer could be made by the National Secretaries for the purchase of Thirlmere Youth Hostel as a Red Rope Club Hut when the Youth Hostel Association contacted them regarding the selling price.
The next NC meeting is on Saturday 6 July at the Chamois Hut, Snowdonia during a Joint Coventry/Leicester weekend which aims to provide skill sharing/training opportunities provided by our new training officer Geoff Boyling and members of the Tirsuli North Wall 2001 expedition group.