Minutes of HCC Virtual Committee Meeting held online at 7.30pm on Monday 8th February 2021

Committee Present: Paul Morgan (PM), Chairman Dale Clarke (DC), Trips and Events Officer
Alison Hardy (AH), Secretary Ben Hardy (BH), Development Officer Lesley March (LM), Finance Officer
Liz Owen (LO), Membership Secretary Neil Smith (NS), Equipment Officer
Apologies: None
Others Present: Mike Dallaway (MD) Andy Grifitth (AG)
Andy Mecrow (AM)

Minutes: These having been previously circulated and were accepted as a true record.

 Chairman (PM):

  • Welcome – to potential new Committee Members for 2021/2022 Andy Mecrow, Andy Griffith and Mike Dallaway.
  • Al Randall Award Update – Dave Clarke contacted the late Al Randall’s wife to ensure there was no issue with HCC creating a trophy in his name. Both Al’s wife and his parents were happy with the proposal. They would like to choose the design and donate a trophy for the award. As the family are donating the trophy, his parents propose presenting it in person to the first recipient at the AGM in 2022.
  • Grant Application – PM advises Sara Wright, who previously submitted a successful funding application to Sport England for HCC, has agreed to assist HCC in applying for funding. Sara aims to cover as many eligible criteria as possible for the application which will include an estimate from Paul Hunter for concrete flooring between the two containers, the larger gap possibly becoming a changing room/classroom the other for storage along with refitting floors to two containers with racking for the crafts. Russel Smith (BC East Midlands Rep) informed us about a £500 grant if HCC can accommodate under privileged groups, and Russel offers full support to us.

 Club Admin (AH):

  • HCC Website –
    • Awards page added to website – DC has created a new page with photos of holders 2020 and a brief description of the award together with recent previous holders.
    • Trip Leaders page updated – removed those no longer actively coaching for HCC.
  • AGM Update – 5th March 2021, online from 7pm for 7.30pm start.
    • AGM Date – next anticipated National Announcement expected 22/02/21, so propose holding AGM on Friday 5th March 2021, likely to need to be “virtual”. Action: AH to circulate the AGM agenda and confirm the meeting details and meeting link.
    • AGM Agenda – additional items included re Family Membership and Trip charge/ a fund to support Training and Development. To be circulate 21 days before the AGM, LO to email it to the full membership. Action: AH to prepare/LO to circulate
    • Committee Roles: Current Committee and Supporting Roles are all eligible to re-stand. PM advises most are willing to re-stand but those in posts of Communications Officer, Programme Coordinator and Welfare Officer advised they were happy to stand down if their roles could be filled.
    • Nominations Form circulated – some confusion from Members that this was a “vote” rather than nomination process but pleased to confirm nominations now received for all
    • Ability to see the Full Committee: all agreed that it is important that Members can see each of the Committee at the AGM. Chairman PM was visible when Team Meeting was trialled tonight.
    • AGM format – Options to host virtually as Webinar or Meeting. Webinar would allow Committee to present the various reports by screen sharing but less easy for other participants to interact, best via typing comments live to the meeting. Committee to send their reports to DC to “present” with the option to email some/all reports in advance. Action: DC to create a meeting link. Most likely to be via “Teams”. Membership to be emailed the Agenda and to ask for the link to join the meeting. Action: LO
    • Development Plan review – PM has a copy of the development plan to feedback on at the AGM. COVID has dramatically limited the Club’s activities. Action: PM
    • AGM Awards – these had been previously discussed and engraved keepsake trophies to be ordered. Previous recipients of the main trophies to be asked for their return. Action: AH

Finance (LM, joined meeting at 8pm):

  • Bank Balance – balance £5,942.80, as at 08/02/21 Accounts ready to be sent for auditing by Nicky Grove before the AGM. Post meeting update from LM, balance differs due to additional Stripe payments to be accounted for.
  • Invoice from the Lake for 2021 – invoice received, rent remains the same as last year and HCC can carry over 6 days to a total of 14 additional days. Lakes consent to this being paid in two instalments, the second being in July after memberships have hopefully renewed. Action: LM to make the payments.

 Equipment (NS):

  • Equipment store – NS hasn’t been down for a while but has an additional 3-legged sandwich board/white board to use outside. AG willing to check the Lake periodically. Advised would need to call Stanton Lakes to give them a rough time to go in and spare keys available to access containers.
  • Working Party – not rearranged this as no supplies yet to progress the work. NS exploring possible sponsors to fund cabling but not definite. May have the offer of another free container but seems unlikely to be able to locate it at the Lake. New roof now unites the containers so not possible to change the leakiest with a gifted replacement.

Events and Trips:

  • Trip Risk Assessments – NS sent information to DC Action: DC
  • Handovers – DC offered to do HCC website/Stripe/Bookwhen training session handover for AG and refresher for LO, BH and AH. Action: DC

 Club Development (BH):

  • HCC Courses Update (FSRT and Paddlesport Instructor) – local Instructor Dave Beecroft advises British Canoeing consent to covering “classroom” elements of the courses online before the event. This will reduce on the day timings and potentially costs too. HCC intend to offer both as soon as restrictions and BC permit. Provisional dates FSRT for 1st weekend its allowed, may count as teaching if schools allowed to return. Likely to be 5 people plus a coach for 1 day, possibly run 2 days, at the end of March. Action: BH to liaise with D Beecroft and AH to advise Stanton Lakes.

 Membership (LO):

  • Paid Membership renewals – Static at 133 members.

 Any Other Business:

  • None 

 Next meeting and Location:        Virtual Committee AGM Friday 5th March 2021, online from 7pm for start at 7.30pm