By Vanny

Committee meeting, Wednesday 29th March 2006-03-31

Main Issues

  • Sheds-
    1. Private sheds boat storage- including planned reorganisation of the sheds and problems with space
    2. Trailer shed- tyres
    3. Club shed- inventory and numbering of kit, tidiness, drying clothes
  • Possible investments for the forthcoming year
  • Current financial state
  • Health and safety issues
  • Availability of information (inc. how to guides!)
  • Fresher’s fair ‘06
  • Security
  • Additional sessions
  • Suggested courses
  • Can you help?
  • Dates

Committee meeting, Wednesday 29th March 2006-03-31

Present: Vanny, Laura, Naomi, Martin, Rob, Kim, Lloyd, Andy, Tom, Laura G

Apologies: Jimbob, Moley, Matt Clarke, Matt Wray, Helen, Cath, Pete, Jen

Absent: Kaylia, Rosie, Alison

Private shed
During the committee meeting, it was agreed that:

  • UNCLAIMED BOATS WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE SHEDS, and most likely be put up for sale on online auction.
  • Up to one boat of each discipline (polo, slalom etc.) may be stored in the private sheds by each fully paid member
  • Boats must be used at least twice during a 6 month period unless there are extenuating circumstances (injury etc.) otherwise priority will be given to other members of the club.
  • If there are extenuating circumstances either the captain (Vanny), treasurer (Naomi) or secretary (Laura G) should be informed.
  • Unpaid members will be given last priority with regards to boat storage and run the risk of their boat being removed from the shed. It is their own responsibility to pay the membership fee (£15 for the whole year) to the secretary Laura Gould, who can be contacted at fallingspiral@hotmail.com
  • All boats should be clearly labelled with a name (contact number also advisable)
  • Please check the website www.lucc.info under the heading “private shed boats” to see if your boat is on there- to claim your boat contact Laura Mercer (L.M.Mercer@liv.ac.uk) or Laura Gould (fallingspiral@hotmail.com)
  • A whiteboard will be put up in the private shed to monitor the owners and boats in (and out) of the sheds. Laura Mercer has kindly agreed to take responsibility for this
  • The shed is going to receive somewhat of a makeover in the summer. The current system for storing boats has resulted in the damage of some boats, especially carbon fibre boats. To solve this problem, a system in which most of the boats will be stored vertically was put forward and approved. Slalom boats that are too long to be stored vertically will be stored horizontally. To prevent any boats falling over and hurting someone it was advised that bungees be bought to secure boats stored vertically. For more information visit the topic redesign of the private sheds in the forum on www.lucc.info

Trailer shed
There are currently a number of tyres in the trailer shed which are of an incorrect size for the trailer and thus are of no use. It was suggested these tyres should be sold at online auction and the money raised used to buy correctly fitting tyres.

Club Shed
It was agreed that a full inventory (including a list with each item photographed) should be taken of all club kit post exam time. At the same time, it was thought appropriate to number all kit (e.g. polo balls) so it is easier to keep a proper track of all equipment.
It is the responsibility of all members of the club, particularly committee members, to ensure that the sheds remain tidy and in a usable state.
It was acknowledged that there is a rather limited space to hang wet kit and the addition of a clothes rail was suggested. Unfortunately, due to the presence of a rather large roof rack in the sheds, it was deemed not possible at the current time. However, if the roof rack can be moved onto the guild minibus, the addition of a clothes rail may then be possible.

Possible investments for this year
It was agreed that money should be given for the purchase of resin to the equipment officers, Cath and Rosie, to repair the carbon fibre polo boat.
The purchase of new polo goal for the pool is to be made a priority for the coming year. Currently there is a plastic one, but putting it up in the pool breaches several health and safety regulations. The new one would be easier to put up and possibly made of aluminium.
There is a possibility that the diving boards are going to be removed from the pool in the near future, this would obviously cause problems with hanging the goal at the far end, Vanny is to investigate what the situation is regarding the diving board.

It was agreed that the club should be able to represent the university in a range of disciplines with appropriate equipment. Therefore, the assessment of the need for and purchase of new or second hand slalom boats and possibly white water boats is being looked into by our slalom officer, Tom.
Equipment such as throw lines, carabineers, emergency group shelters and buoyancy aids with harnesses will also be made a priority for the club, these are also needed for many BCU training courses.

Current financial situation
We are approximately £28 overdrawn due to the over purchase of equipment in the previous year. The possibility of sponsorship for the club as a whole or different parts of the club (such as men’s polo team) is going to be looked over by Vanny, Laura, Naomi and Kim. If anyone in the club has any contacts that may be willing to sponsor us, please don’t hesitate to email us.

Health and Safety Issues
Several issues surround the first aid kit. The first issue is that it not taken on trips. Clearly, should there be any injuries on trips, we should be able to provide at least some immediate first aid. The second is the recommended content for first aid kit has changed. The updated version needs to be looked into. Kim is going to price up a new set of FA kits, and update the old ones to the current standards.
The idea of bringing a mobile phone whilst on the river was suggested. Along with this suggestion came the proposal to contact Orange or another phone network, to see if they would be willing to donate a (waterproof) phone to us.
The fire extinguisher located in the shed is another problem. First of all, there is only one fire extinguisher for the three sheds. Secondly, the fire extinguisher that we do have does not have a valid safety certificate. The priority lies with making the fire extinguisher currently owned is tested so that it is no longer out of date. We can then look into the possibility of the acquisition of more fire extinguishers. Vanny is to look into this through Estates, and also enquire about the sewage leak outside the sheds door and the addition of a light and power socket in the main sheds.

Availability of information
Newer members to the club have suggested that it might be a good idea to put up some posters relating to equipment in the sheds and on the web. From putting on kit in the correct order, to going through a checklist before you leave the sheds to make sure you have the correct kit, to what to use when (like which buoyancy aids). Lloyd and Andy have agreed to look into looking writing up information on polo kit.

When going on trips there needs to be a full breakdown of each person going on the trip, what equipment they are using, and whether there are any allergies or significant health related issues. The leaders of the trip should be informed of any member’s health related issue, and ideally all members on the trip should know too. However, it is recognised that there is a fair amount of sensitivity relating to these issues. If there are any problems with this proposal or any health related issues that the club is not informed of, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of the committee members.

Freshers Fair 06
The suggestion to raise the membership fee to a more competitive rate was rejected and will remain at £15. It was thought that a membership fee of £15 might encourage freshers to sign up at the fair using an electronic registration form. Freshers fair 06/07 is to be held exclusively over the weekend (and NOT on the Monday as previous years), the dates for this is September 23rd and 24th.

Security
Key list
All fully paid members who store a boat in the private shed will have access to the private shed key.
Access to the club and trailer shed will be limited to the captain, secretary, treasurers, polo officers, slalom officers and people who organise trips, any body else who feels they have a specific need to be on the list which directly benefits the club, need to apply to the committee for permission to be on the key list.

Additional sessions
Wednesday afternoon polo sessions by the docks are currently being looked into by the polo officers Andy and Lloyd.
The possibility of regaining the Friday pool sessions will be looked into.

Can you help?
We have a big lack of foam (used for foot rests, padding, pool sessions etc.)If anyone has any foam or knows where we can get some it would be much appreciated!

Dates
The next committee meeting is provisionally set for June 1st at 6pm in the McAustland lounge (where the AGM was).
The next AU meeting is set for Tuesday May 2nd at 5pm in the McAustland lounge.
Training for the captain, treasurer and secretary will take place on 25th April (am or pm) in the Guild (this event can be attended by any committee member, please contact Vanny if you want to know more)

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