Another Club Folded

Hi Guys and Girls

Tonight Andrew (Hope and Crank) and myself went to the South West Stationary Engine Club(S.W.S.E.C) A.G.M

The A.g.m started of with figures,attendancees etc then it was the chairmans speech and he was saying his usual speech thanking people and then he said that the last rally at Perrenwell only had few Members attended including myself, Andrew, John, Ryan and Ian and few other members out of 75 members THIS IS BAD

Then he told us no one wanted be on the commitee and as from tonight the club is NO MORE!!!

Reason is most of the commitee are pensioners also H+S Regulations were a pain too

This is a great shame!!

Not one member out of 75 offered to be on the commitee

Let us hear your thoughts

Myself and Andrew are gutted

Adam

Sorry to hear that Adam but i'm afraid that this is a common problem with club's of any description, be they engine club, village fete, caravan club's, you name it and they will ALL have a similar problem. They obviously rely on volunteers and it is a fact that fewer folk are coming forward nowadays to take these jobs on. This year is the first since I have been married (34 years) that I haven't been on at least one committee, either as a general member or Vice Chairman and Chairman, and in ALL CASES the problem has been "apathy" ie as long as someone else does the job then that is fine! There comes a time when committee members have had enough, our vintage club's secretary will have done 25 years in the job come next AGM, he has been intending to give the job up for a while now but nobody will take it on. When he retires then someone will HAVE to do it or the club will finish, as yours has done. The answer is in our hands, we either do our bit or face the inevitable. Perhaps Andrew and yourself could have offered your services, though it was probably too late by then, the damage was done.
Regarding the poor turnout at the rally, that happens up here as well. We had a light up last weekend, the members had requested it and what happens, 4 turnup! What seemed a good idea in summer when it was planned suddenly loses it's appeal when the cold and damp weather arrives, only ourselves to blame of course but that's the problem with Humans, you can't rely on 'em!!

Pete

Yeh i would love too but its the time and work commitments too!

I forgot to say there was 20 or more engines

Its a great shame clubs are closing!!

Adam

Hi Adam,
Thanks to you and Andrew for coming tonight.
A sad night as it has been a big part of my life for the last 9 years.
with only 9 out of 75 members and no nominations for the committee,as the present committee
wished to stand down.
The SWSEC managed to put on 1 crank up in january and a rally in september for 10 years+, but in the last 3 years there
has only been 5 of us on the committee to do it all. i have been on the committee for 6 years and enjoyed it very much.
cheers
steve

would have loved to be there its a great shame , is there anything we can do if not wait till we get home , ryan said he will try and sort somethind he doesnt know what but will think,

can anyone bring this to light, id be up for helping out surely we can do summit to save it

Apparently you need this

President
Chairman
Vice Chairman
Treasurer
Vice treasurer
Members Secertary
Vice Secertary
Organiser
H+S Person
Medics person

Adam

75 members, surly they dont need all those titles, surely a couple of commited people will do, its like whats the differance between a president and a chairman anyway , im so up for helping out, surely out of 75 members, there must be a couple of people free, it just makes no sense at all

Niether can i but its all down to time and the law!

Maybe Steve66 can tell us more about it as he or was a committee member!

Im itching for a rally in January

I think out of 75 members its pethectic no one can help i would help but have no clue what to do

Also there was no feedback from most members

I was also speaking to Kerwin he wasnt really suprised there is not enough pushing to these events anymore aparently when Kerwin was incharge with KOVC stationary engine commity he got 210 enginens in the 80s but the last rally only had 75 or so he sent letters off all around the country apperently

Adam

hope he got the messege, as sometimes this site can be a pain for messeging, maybe it needs some newbies to push it, i really want to contribute alot and promote the rallys

Well our club has probably around the same amount of members and has survived for 30 years with
A Chairman
Secretary
Treasurer
Events organiser
Road run steward.

And that's it! The Secretary and anyone handy does the fencing at events, the secretary also covers safety issues. Simples!!
What I will add though is that our rallies are free to the public, that way you don't have to bother with medical facilities or even loos (though they are on site permanantly).

Pete.

if you ask me

Its the old chestnut of people want everyting for nothing.

Dam shame hope you can get it sorted out.

Paul

Sorry to say but this is going to be the norm on clubs shuting down, you will get everybody saying yes we can do that.
Until you go to organise the rally and you end up with the sane members helping. Been the got the T shirt.
You will need a bit of cash in the bank to start with you have to pay for insurances toilets fencing I can carry on but thats the picture.
I wish you all the luck in the world.
There are more private rallys about now than there ever was
Chris

the club have alot of money. it just would have been nice to no why, they shut considering a number of us have supported the club by showing at rallys, adam mentioned to me the club said this year was the best for turn outs, it just makes no sense, ah well will have to sort are selfs out