Just a reminder to everyone, I will be stepping down as web apprentice at the AGM and you will need a new volunteer to push the website forward. Its been an amazing and enjoyable few years building and developing the website, and the new skills I have learnt have even enabled me to create a completely new website for my masonic lodge, something of which I am very proud. Running the website is a rewarding role and you can be assured of lots of help. You will pick up some new skills and become more involved with the club and its members in the process, so go on, the ideal person is out there reading this now, let me know, you will have a lot of fun.

Believe it or not but the website is almost three years old, with the very first post going live in October 2008. Since then you have been on the receiving end of a personal learning curve to pick up the WordPress website package. The journey has been swift but immensely enjoyable, but now is the time for a new talent to emerge and take the editing of the club website into the future. This doesn’t mean that I wont be around any longer, the reason for looking at a replacement is that I want to spend more time on developing the Federation organisation and editing its website.

The ideal candidate will have a reasonable grasp of English and be able to write articles and reports on events. Anyone with WordPress experience would be ideal, but any other website based knowledge would be useful. The website takes time to produce and its not a 5 minute job every now and again. Anyone with Internet time on their hands and a willingness to learn WordPress would be ideal. There is a huge amount of advice and help on the www plus a WordPress based help center which you will find amazingly helpful. One of the important skills is to capture pictures at events and maintain and manage the image gallery on the website. Knowledge of resizing and cropping  pictures for websites is also necessary.

Nigel Mackintosh pretty much leaves the website to be managed by the web underling, unless specific help is required, which to be honest is usually offered very quickly and effectively. There is little he is unable to sort.

So there you have it, a great opportunity for a budding web apprentice to learn new skills and represent Goldwings North West to the global fraternity. Is that you?

The Treasurer and Secretary both gave their reports to the gathered membership along with a very well received Chairmans Report, culminating in him standing for the Chairmans position for the coming year. Sue Pinder expressed her interest in becoming our new Treasurer and John Clark also volunteered to become our new Secretary. There being no other nominations, both were accepted by the membership and Sue and John took their new positions at the top table. Thanks must go to Karen Kay for her hard work during 2010, especially as her job kept her at work for almost 23 hours a day, and also thanks to Steve Fox for the role of Secretary he occupied during the year. Both members fulfilling their role for the benefit of everyone. Also, many thanks must go to Bob Summers for his unstinting efforts in making sure that we have a vibrant and up to the minute Website.

So we have a new team, well almost.    

Ray Beech, a charity co-ordinator for the NW Air Ambulance was welcomed to the meeting and received a cheque for £500 from the members, this amount being raised during 2009 at the many events and run outs we had attended. The members also informed Ray that they had also chosen the NW Air Ambulance as the nominated charity for 2010.

This months meeting on the 27th December marks a milestone in the history of Goldwings North West. For the first time we are asking for nominations for all three committee positions for election at the forthcoming AGM in January. So as the poster almost says “your club needs you“. If you have the time and skills to offer your services to the club; then please think seriously about putting your name forward. All positions are up for re-election, this means that the current officer may stand for election if he or she so wishes. However the position of Chairman will certainly be free as I will be standing down at the AGM to become more involved with other activities.

The most important attribute to have when on the committee is time to perform your alloted function. The treasurer needs a good understanding of monies and banking and be able to manage the collection and banking of money from club meetings and charity collections, plus computer skills are very useful when presenting a balance sheet at the AGM or any other meeting for that matter. The ability to communicate at club meeting’s is very handy. The Secretary would also benefit from computer skills, especially the use of e mail and XL spread sheets to maintain the club membership database and respond to enquiries from interested wingers via the website e mail system plus also be comfortable in front of members at the club meeting. The Chairman should have the time to be able to attend as many events throughout the year and be able to communicate and organise events and people. However, the most important thing to posses is enthusiasm for your club.

There will be an opportunity to put your name forward at Sunday’s meeting, and I would like to see several nominations in the hat. Each roll is very rewarding and you will be amazed at the pleasure you gain from serving the members.