FMCC AGM 2003
Venue:
Scout HQ - The Neil Monteith Lattimer Room (no less)
Date:
Sunday 5th January
2003
Members Present:Dave, Alan, Andy, Richard,
John, Neil, Ian, Pad, Keith
Beers:
Mutiny, IPA (party left-overs)
NYE
PARTY
Those
attending the party had enjoyed polypins of Mutiny, IPA and Roasted
Nuts, especially the latter, which ran out before 10pm. The explosives
experts were baffled by the canon’s reluctance to fire. Fortunately,
there were no problems with Big Ben’s chimes and 200 balloons cascaded
down as usual! The party began to wane by 3.45am, with the final song
‘I’m too sexy’ - appropriate for the few belching Fatmen. After a
complete showing of the FMCC DVD on the big screen, members finally laid
down their drinking vessels at 5am. During the Chairman’s speech at
12.30am, his passionate plea to the assembled throng for a successor
worthy of the Blue Glove Award:- ‘a
lady who might hold member’s members’ had certainly impressed
members, though it left the punters bemused.
CHAIRMAN”S
OUT-GOING SPEECH
– Rumblings on the Fat-O-Meter
His
speech for the AGM however, was rather more sober. He recalled some of
the highs of 2002 including the lady who offered to take us all on,
after drinking ‘shagging’ juice - and the lows, when some members
just wanted to go to the Chinese restaurant instead! Or the occasion
when members found themselves on a Saturday night in a pub with no beer
(The Prince Llewelyn, Beddgelert) and reluctant to walk 20yds to a pub with
beer. Fortunately the highs outweighed the lows with four excellent
activities. Young Ian Crisp’s ridiculously low score on the
Fat-O-Meter had brought a new low to the Fatman Fat ratings, but
everyone felt better as the Fat-O-Meter grumbled under the strain of the
larger members and the result registering on the Richter Scale helped
revive Fatman morale.
Neil
resigned his post, saying that he wanted fresh blood to take control of
the organisation.
TREASURER’S
REPORT
Alan
passed round a very professionally produced Statement of the FMCC
Accounts showing that we were in credit by £39.14p. Members decided to
increase the subscriptions to the Club from £40 to £50, though the £100
per activity drinks-subsidy would remain. Monies owed for the NYE Party
were then passed back and forth until everyone was satisfied.
ELECTION
OF FATMAN OFFICERS
Luckily
for the AGM, due to some domestic strife, Mr Narracott, had forgotten to
bring the Fat-O-Meter, so bottoms stayed firmly on seats, except when
beer glasses needed replenishing.
From
non-essential AGM paraphernalia to essential - Mr Lattimer had forgotten
to bring the Voting Box and during a recent gun crime amnesty,
he’d handed in the gun to the Police. Not before holding up a few
banks to help finance his tea-drinking habit. It looked as though the
AGM would have to be cancelled and re-scheduled for a later date when
the box could be brought and a new gun found.
How
could it continue without the time-honoured traditions our club has come
to expect and respected so faithfully over many years! Perhaps this
embarrassment was the real reason for the Chairman’s resignation.
The
Chairman, suitably admonished suggested members vote by putting a cross
on a slip of paper and folding it over to keep it secret. Member’s
understandably complained that this method could never compensate for
the clattering of balls as they rolled one way or t’other, the
expectation as the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ drawers are pulled out and the
realisation that one ball is missing in the back of the mechanism.
John,
seizing the opportunity, announced that the position of Secretary should
remain in Pad’s capable hands and the club’s finances in Alan’s
and therefore no voting for them would be necessary! Members agreed and
only the vote for Chairman remained.
Members
were now forced to strike a cross on a piece of paper and this flimsy,
insecure method for voting had to suffice. John, Keith and Richard were
nominated and John won the
vote and was duly sworn-in.
INGOING
CHAIRMAN’S SPEECH
– Rumblings on the Fat-O-Meter again
John
mumbled something unintelligible and members applauded dutifully. He
also proclaimed the banning of the Fat-O-Meter from all activities, but
members felt he was using his new found powers a little too hastily and
they voted to accept the occasional use of the Fat-O-Meter, if
used judicially by it’s keeper – Mr Narracott.
ACTIVITIES
2003
Pad
announced suggestions for activities including: Caving, Walking, Barge
Trip, Cycling Abroad, Sand Yachting, Kite-Surfing, Sailing, Windsurfing,
Skiing, Canoeing Thames, Surfing, Parascending, Survival, Unhealth Farm,
Multi-Local, Mud Snorkelling, Horse Riding, Off-Road Biking, Canyoning,
Deep Sea Fishing, Ecological and Cheese Rolling.
As
usual, activities that we haven’t done for ages, but nevertheless
popular get pipped at the post by the evergreens such as Walking, Sailing, Cycling. Only a change in the voting rules
(perhaps with proportional representation) might get the club
horse-riding or windsurfing again! There was a tie for the fourth
activity between barge and surfing, with the Barge
Trip winning, because we’ve surfed fairly recently. Mud
snorkelling, cheese rolling and clearing litter - the more extreme
activity suggestions remain to be poo-poo’d again next year.
ACTIVITY
DATES
Whilst
the implementation of the WAC’s system speeds up this lengthy process,
problems still arise when no weekends are available.
Tough
leadership was required to sort this one and John wasn’t found
wanting. He fancied some winter-walking and as there was only one red
box next to the weekend of Feb 1st & 2nd, John
managed to persuade Mr Buck that his gammy knee would constitute a major
hazard to the climbing team at high altitudes, in Snowdon’s death zone
for example. Members also offered to pull Al’s kitchen ceiling down,
if it in some way helped. Al wasn’t sure, but under this threat, he
backed down and the weekend was set.
Other
weekends were similarly debated, and this year’s activity list is
thus:
1st
2nd FEB
WALKING (SNOWDONIA) NL to organise
12th
13th JULY
SAILING (BROADS) KZ to organise
20th
21st SEPT
CYCLING (ABROAD) RC to organise ... with supervision!
8th
9th NOV
BARGE TRIP (Tring Heights) NL to organise
25th
Anniversary Activity
Neil
said that Brian had suggested a skiing activity could be appropriate for
this most special of occasions. Everyone agreed, and a 4 day or even a
week ski, if we can wangle it, would be excellent. A special slush fund
could be opened to start committing members financially. Besides Brian,
other far-flung members will hopefully rejoin us on this special
occasion.
ANNUAL
MEMBER’S DINNER
With
the banning of other halves from the annual dinner (one lasting legacy
of Neil’s outgoing chairmanship), members revelled in the venues that
could now be considered. Names of restaurants were tossed around like
salad: Ruislip Tandoori, The Hollies, The Woolpack - the World is our
oyster!
There
seemed too many choices, and as a date couldn’t be found this side of
Easter, a decision was deferred.
Interestingly,
very few members had broached the subject with their other halves and
were just hoping the change wouldn’t be noticed.
25th April
ANNUAL MEMBER’S DINNER (Men Only) - Venue tbc
OTHER ACTIVITIES
John, WAC’s in hand was in
full flow, nothing was going to stop him!
‘Right
let’s decide some more dates!’
26th January
NEXT MEETING
7th June
FatMen Only & sons (or daughters) Camp
7th September
Rounders and BBQ
STATS & VIRUSES
The new Chairman noted that
there might be a minor discrepancy in the Darts Champion’s statistics.
But Pad defended his 1997 win, stating that he was indeed Champion in
all but name that year because he was winning the final game when it was
declared null of void. Pad noted that despite the general concensus that
he indeed was the worthy winner, his name wasn’t as yet engraved on
the Cup, and that this terrible injustice should be settled forthwith,
or even fifthwith!
Various members noted
that their phone numbers and emails needed updating on the Directory
again and Neil apologised for spreading a nasty virus from his email
address book.
NYE PARTY 2004
- To have, and to hold???
Unfortunately, members forgot
to hold this heated debate, but I feel that it’s important to iron it
out sooner rather than later. If we’re keen to try something different
next NYE, such as doing a communal type thing and hiring a large enough
venue in an interesting location, then it will need to be booked early.
Other than that, we’re in for another party at the hut .... or
nothing!
Get those thinking-caps
on! What do we want to do?
Let’s add it to the agenda
for next month’s already hectic meeting. The main thrust of the next
meeting being:
Transport and logistics for the 2003 Snowdonia Winter Expedition.
NEXT MEETING sees a change of
venue ...
26th January
The Prince of Wales pub 8.30pm
