HCC Virtual Committee Meeting
Held online Thursday 9th April 2020 at 7pm
Whilst no apologies, it was noted that Steve Jowett (SJ) Communications Officer had come home from hospital this week. Action: PM to make contact SJ and to send best wishes from the Club.
Minutes:
These had been approved at the AGM on 16/03/20. Minutes form 06/02/20 and AGM have yet to go onto the website but a link also goes on the Facebook page once they are available. Action: KS/AH to contact RN to ask for assistance.
Matters Arising:
- HCC Secretary duties handover – KS and AH have progressed their role handover using virtual meetings as their planned face to face meeting couldn’t take place due to CV19 restrictions. At a further “meeting” this Friday, also involving LO and BH, KS will do a walk through the BC Portal looking at Membership, Qualifications and Affiliation. Action: KS, AH, BH, LO.
Club Admin (AH/KS):
- Engraving – KS has additional name plates engraved with the names of former holders 2004 onwards of the Golden Paddle Award so these can be added to the base of the new trophy for posterity. KS also has the engraved disc for Salim Sidat’s trophy.
- Vice Chairman – NS was unanimously voted in by those present as HCC Vice Chairman.
Finance (LM):
- Book When – paid to March 2020. Lesley offered to take over this from KS so KS to provide the necessary details to access the online accounts. Action: KS to pass details to LM.
- Insurance – NS to provide LM with a kit list so the insurance can be renewed. Action: NS
- Stanton Lakes – currently the site is closed due to the CV19 Restrictions so whilst a letter had been drafted to open discussions on lake fees for the coming season, all agreed that this should be reconsidered once there is an indication of when restrictions are to be lifted. Action: PM to contact the Lake.
- Refunds – LM had completed refunds for a number of events that have had to be cancelled. LO confirmed the Skittles date will be rearranged and full refunds made, including any food payments. DC to provide LM with a list of others who may need course refunds. Action: DC/LM.
- Sport England Grant – PM had details of possible grant support HCC may be eligible for to offset financial loss during the CV19 Restrictions. Action: PM to look at the criteria for the scheme and report back to the Committee if HCC could be eligible to apply.
Equipment (NS):
- Income and Expenditure – NS had £30 for LM (£20 Spencer Family for pool sessions), £10 C Peacock (pool sessions). Owed £10 (Salim), £15 (Hardy family). Spent £5 on clothing rail plus 2 bags of sand for the new plastic paddle posts, spray deck for the new boat and BC stickers for paddle labelling. Total £86.25. Action: NS to provide receipts to LM.
- Lakes Visit – before the restrictions, NS had visited the containers with Mike Dallaway to look at a design to replace the roof and also note any other work needed. NS waiting for Mike Dallaway’s estimate. Action: NS
- Kit List – NS has updated this as the insurers needed it by 05/05/20. NS has changed the postal address for the Insurance to his home address as the whole Lake site is currently closed. Go Kayaking order for an additional 3 kids paddles (being specially made), 3 standard paddles, 3 SUP paddle floats.
- Older HCC canoes – discussion around the possibility of no longer keeping a couple of the older canoes which have deformed on their undersides. They are cumbersome to store and don’t get used often. However, they may have been gifted to the club so the majority of those present felt uneasy about considering selling them on if they have value second hand.
Events and Trips (DC):
- Trips and events all currently on hold or postponed. DC will rearrange trip dates once it is possible to get back on the water. Jonathon Pope is keen to get signed off as a Trip Leader. Potential Trips Leaders for future trips include Chris Hill for Stratford upon Avon, Mike Dallaway for Llangollen Aqueduct which could be a Wales weekend to combine with Bala Lake for canoes and SUPs and Mill End Mill for white water paddling.
Following the recent virtual EM meeting, KS reported that more interclub trips, like the Hot Soup Paddle with Leicester based PaddlePlus, would be welcomed by clubs in the East Midlands. EM Chairman was checking into insurance if such trips take place. This could be a great way to offer a range of trips once paddling can recommence. Action: DC to coordinate programme once events can resume. - Facebook presence – the lack of trips to promote has obviously impacted on Facebook posts. AH suggested posting trip photos from last year on the anniversary weekend to keep people’s interest. Action: DC to consider if suitable old posts to reuse.
Club Development (BH):
- Coaches Meeting held on 12/03/20 was well attended and lots of topics covered. After the meeting, BH circulated a survey to current coaches and trainee coaches asking for individuals to confirm training attended, qualifications gained and potential training needs. BH had 10 responses but there are still a number of people who hadn’t replied so BH to forward to LO to email them. It was noted that Dave Clarke is the only Level 2 coach in HCC to have confirmed his qualification level back to BH. Action: BH to send reminder via LO.
Safeguarding and Child Protection – the arranged course has been postponed and the offer to complete online training was declined in favour of waiting for a new date.
First Aid – 4 coaches interested so may look at offering this either opening to other HCC or EM members.
FSRT – the number of coaches needing this is too small for the club to arrange but discussed offering as a combined EM training course to open this up to other clubs. Two coaches interested but course minimum is six.
Paddlesport Instructor Award – 4 members who completed BH’s survey expressed an interest, but the Committee believe there will be more members interested. Minimum needed six.
Can post details again once the distancing is lifted.
Proposed interest from responses for other training – WW Safety and Rescue (5), SUP module (1), and Paddlesport Leader (1). - BC Stronger Clubs Together Conference – Free conference attended by HCC Members KS, NS, AH and BH who attended various different workshops. Following on from this BH, suggested HCC consider Paddlesport Activity Assistants. Details on BC website, £50 one off fee per Club. Action: PM to look into this for the next meeting. Post meeting update: Presentations given at the workshop are now available online at https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/guidance-resources/club-conference
Membership (LO):
- Paid Membership renewals – are very low with majority of renewals normally expected. The first lake session would have been next Thursday, 16th Historically majority of renewals are made in April and May by cash, BACS and cheque payments.
HCC has not promoted membership renewal given the current pressure and uncertainty individuals’ finances. There was discussion about possible options to promote membership but the committee decided to delay a decision until there was more clarity on when paddling would actively resume.
KS advised that the PaddlePlus Club were continuing their regular “club night” virtually by offering a range of activities to members such as video conferences, quizzes and tutorials so that had not revised their membership rates. Whilst this was acknowledged as a great idea, offering something similar for HCC was unlikely.
A further meeting to discuss Membership would be arrange for end April/early May or sooner if restrictions are lifted. Action: Meeting date to be confirmed. - New Style Membership Cards: LO plans to issue these for paid members and proposes include a photo on the card front of each member’s face (ask for a photo to be provided with the online membership application) with information on the reverse side. Action: LO to produce draft membership cards using Committee’s details.
Any other Business:
- HCC Clothing Order – Hayley Clarke has placed an order recently by posting a message on the Facebook page. LO suggested updating the photos on the HCC website as the range, colours available and prices have now changed. Action: PM to contact Hayley for current details.
- New HCC Website – Thanks to Rob Newitt (RN) for the work he has done to create the new look website. Steve Jowett intended to take over the club webpages. However, due to Steve’s recent change of circumstances. AH to contact Rob to see if he is willing to provide some basic training to enable more basic edits and document additions to be made. It was noted that some parts of the new site would already benefit from updates such as new arrangements for changing facilities at the lake and updates to a number of HCC policies. A further virtual meeting to be arranged for 16/04/20 to look over the club website to list any desirable revisions and to prioritise any urgent changes. Action: AH to contact RN.
- New HCC Facebook Page – Thanks to Richard Matthews (RM) for his work on creating this new outward facing Facebook page which should be available for all to view shortly. The original HCC Facebook group page will continue, but in time this will become for HCC Members only. Action: AH to contact Richard regarding email address query.
- HCC Newsletter – to maintain links with former HCC members, AH offered to collate a Newsletter for LO to email round and to post on the Facebook page. The newsletter to acknowledge the challenges paddlers are facing, to ask members to post what they are currently doing paddling or non-paddling related, updates from Committee Members. Could also include links to possible things of interest such as BC awards, ways to maintain fitness, things to do like build a balance board, free downloads, paddling related Apps (e.g. RiverApps, Rainchasers, UK Rivers Guidebook). Also, could be an opportunity to ask for paddling photos for use on the Facebook page or the website (photo needs to be of sufficient quality, not from Facebook). KS offered to share useful links, such as BC free coaching, from the EM to also be included. BH to check BC’s “U Canoe” which may offer potential coaching resources and ideas. Action: All for AH to collate asap.
Next Meeting and Location:
Virtual meeting 7pm Thursday 16th April 2020, to review HCC Website.
Next meeting, possibly virtual, tba end April/early May 2020, specifically to discuss HCC Membership.