Committee meeting minutes
Committee Meeting 27th July 2005
Apologies: Matt
Present: Paul Willmott, Chris Holt, Fay Carpenter, Graham Beech, John and Lynda Norrie, Mark Bampkin, Paul Drake
Previous minutes agreed as correct.
Matters Arising from previous minutes:
Club silverware : Committee advised by FC that Keith and Avril were supposed to be visiting Crown and Cushion (where the items are believed to be) to ascertain if they are there and bring them to club.
Moulton have advised a trophy cabinet will be available in the future to display them should we wish.
Accident record book obtained and in the cupboard available for use - thanks to Fay.
Risk assessments have been updated and (venue, beginners class and general fencing) placed in front of accident book.
Equipment safety : PD has records of all equipment.
Mains operated equipment still to be tested.
New boxes have not been purchased as PD hopes to refurbish the old boxes as soon as he finishes the Armourers course.
15 Jackets have been ordered.
11 have arrived so far.
All numbered and recorded.
All jackets new "blue" Leon Paul so should be easier to tell who hasn’t purchased their own equipment.
With regards to further equipment purchases GB felt that 2x right handed and 1x left handed electric weapons of each Foil, Sabre and Epee should be available for the club members.
This to be discussed when purchasing next batch of equipment.
Badges - PD had "mock up" of membership card.
Cost £16 for 200.
Agreed that PD would purchase cards and begin printing.
PD provided revised price list for equipment repairs based on average of 3 suppliers costs for spare parts.
Committee agreed to adopt this.
MB to investigate further storage at Moulton as current cabinet is not large enough to accommodate recent mask purchase.
Competitions - 17th and 18th September "pencilled in" for County Championship.
Check in close 8:45.
Competition start at 9.
17th Epee
18th Foil and Sabre.
Junior Foil pm.
Adult Sabre pm.
Closing date for entries 12th September.
To be made clear that Juniors is mixed and electric.
Discussion on new timings for boxes.
CH and GB felt good idea to purchase at least one box with new timings.
MB, PD and FC feel that club should hold on and wait until new timings are definite - agreed one box with new timings to be ordered with next purchase of equipment.
FC raised issue some members are still borrowing Club equipment sometime after they have finished Beginners Course.
This has been raised before and a fee of £60 was mentioned.
MB believes main culprits will not be attending club any longer.
FC to monitor situation and report back.
Coaching Course - FC concerned about levels available.
JN reminded committee that idea of course is to further knowledge on fencing and allow coaching if they want to.
Course will run in all three weapons but prospective coaches will only be able to do one weapon on the course.
PW brought up issue of insurance.
At present this is being discussed between BAF and BFA.
So appears at present a club member who has completed the proposed course will need to be a member of both BFA and BAF to be covered insurance wise to coach.
JN will clarify what the course will allow people who have finished the course to do exactly.
Costs advised by JN as follows - "students" £20
Prospective coaches - (Club members) £65 "Outsiders" £80
GB advised East Midlands Region have been in touch requesting contact details for the club etc.
Email contact details provided.
PW has received email from N Randall (East Midlands Regional Committee) following GB providing contact details.
Next meeting to be held at Radcliffe-on-Trent.
13/09/2005.
GB volunteered to attend on behalf of the club.
FC - As membership costs have increased from September as agreed at AGM is the club keeping the fee payable in two instalments or allowing quarterly payment etc?
After some discussion it was agreed to keep the payment payable in either one or two instalments.
If two are paid, one will be in September, the other in March.
Decision to keep family membership as it is and One Off visitors fee agreed at £5
Gift Aid - Nic attended meeting to report on further progress of Gift Aid idea.
Has not had a chance to progress this much further than previous meeting.
However he has spoken to Inland Revenue and the Charity Commission.
He is now looking at idea of making NFC a charitable organisation.
If so it is possible to get income tax relief on Membership.
Currently two fencing clubs have gone down this route, Sherwood Cadets and Blades Fencing Club.
Nic will investigate further and report back at later date.
FC - Advised Club 60th Anniversary January 2006.
Avril has volunteered to re-hash article done for the Clubs 50th Anniversary.
FC advised a Ball was held for the 50th Anniversary.
Committee decided that some form of social function should take place to mark the event.
To be discussed closer to the date.
CH advised he felt the idea of using the "bollards" to create a sterile area was working.
Both to keep non-fencers safe and create more social interaction.
Beginners Course - now running on eight week programme.
Course content as before.
Competition run on week 9 being optional.
GB felt this was a good idea and should be kept as eight weeks.
An idea was raised to run a competition at some point in the year for club members who have completed the beginners course.
FC felt this could cause a problem as beginners who have completed the first course of the year would be more experienced than those who have just finished one.
A discussion then ensued re what format the competition could take, when it could run and whether some form of handicap could be imposed.
Chris mentioned that the trophy given at the AGM was for future potential not competition winner.
Agreed by committee that a competition would be held next summer during the break before the AGM.
MB raised issue of advertising the beginners course.
At present this is only done at NBC and Moulton College.
Discussion was had re posters and the website.
MB to supply posters for club members to put up in their workplaces etc.
PW to investigate placing Club on lists held by local councils.
Date of next Beginners Course CH felt would be good idea to start after students return to college.
Current course finishes 1st September.
CH suggested next course start 13th October.
FC advised to remember that the Club would need to subsidise any gap in the beginners course to account for the extra hour not being paid for by a beginners course.
FC advised this delay between Sep and Oct would cost £150.
Committee decided to delay beginners course until the 13th October and use 4-5 weeks between for coaching and competition for current club members.
AOB
Nic suggested that as committee had decided on "gap" between beginners courses the club could invite surrounding clubs for a competition.
To be looked into.
PD - queried blade sizes and new regs coming into force.
CH advised as of Jan 1st 2006 Under 14s will only be able to use, and fence against, size 3 blades.
With regard to the beginners courses coaches have discretion.
On all other occasions this needs to be enforced.
GB - request implications of this be added to agenda of next meeting.
CH - Put forward idea of a questionnaire to Club members regarding their thoughts on the Club, peoples skills they could make available to the Club, peoples availability to provide assistance, First Aiders, what members are looking to get out of the Club etc.
CH to circulate rough draft to Committee members asap.
MB - suggested questionnaire for beginners along lines of their thoughts on the course, low points, high points etc.
Rough draft to be produced.
Date of next meeting agreed October 5th 2005.
AGM to be discussed and firm date decided upon.
UPDATES
Note - MB spoke to Moulton re storage, extra wire "crate" provided for masks.
Thanks to Robbie at Moulton for sorting that.
MB - Posters produced and brought to Club for circulation.
See PD for copies!
CH produced rough draft of questionnaire.
Ongoing project.
No word on Trophies as of 12/08/2005
Coaching course poster has been put up and all members advised it.
Money needs to be by 1st September to avoid cancellation charges or increased fees for participants