|
2008 has been a great year for the GMFC in many ways. My fears of lower membership numbers where totally disproved with the eventual figure nearing our largest number ever. Very encouraging that in this number where a lot of new faces and several have become regular fliers and keen supporters of the club. As per last year the weather has again not been kind, with a lot of windy and wet days particularly through the summer months. However the last three weeks of September were superb, personally I think I did more flying in these three weeks than I did all summer and certainly since. The weather of the past two months having been appalling. One thing that has kept the club going through the winter months is the indoor flying and this has gone from strength to strength. In March we had our last fly at Chosen Hill School and moved to the Bentham Country Club. This has proved very popular with more space for a wider variety of models. Numbers are just about where we need them and a drink in the bar after proving very popular. One nice feature of 2008 was a couple of very well attended BBQ’s. The first held at mid summer was held on a dry but a bit breezy day. Conditions for cooking the food proved very challenging and Tracy & Paul did a superb job. The second event was held mid September and this time the weather was perfect. The rain had stopped a couple of days before allowing the ground to dry a bit and the day was dry with virtually no wind. At one point there were 35 cars parked on the field and probably over 60 members put in an appearance during the day. Mike Bond this time did a wonderful job of the cooking assisted by a large number of members. It is certain that these events will be repeated next year. Funding these events needs discussing; my own personal view would be a small increase in membership fees to keep them free on the day. There have been no major incidents during the year and I have only had one report of a model flying over the farm. Overall safety has been good. An attempt to reintroduce the pilots box was greeted with some derision that missed the real point of the exercise. Fliers need to move back from the strip a bit to give others more room. The club has remained very much a mixed types club with all types of models flying together normally fairly happily. I have had several meetings with Mike Potter during the year and all problems have been sorted out not that there have been many. At the beginning of November we had a visit from the farmers cows, they are not actually supposed to be in the field but being young juvenals (heifer’s) are full of mischief and spend all there days finding weak spots in the hedge. Fortunately the club still had fencing left over from “tip” days and a suitable area was fenced off. We did have to purchase a new power unit as the last one got left in a hole in the ground. So far the fence has proved a deterrent and kept the cows off but it does rely on members putting it back up correctly. The strip is a bit rough at the time of writing, if we do get a run of dry days then it will get a rolling but we have to tread carefully as the best maintenance for grass at this time of year is to keep off. The club is holding it’s first Xmas raffle organized by Darren, the prize fund is growing well, draw to take place on the night of Saturday 13th December after the indoor flying session. The bar will be open and nibbles will be laid on. The website is just over two years old and has just had it’s second major revamp. Many will be surprised at this as the first went mainly unnoticed when during the summer Phil Hayward converted it in it’s entirety from “SiteBuilder” to “front page”. It has in recent weeks again under gone a more visible make over and now looks better than ever. Again thanks to Phil for this. We do need more contributors for the website most is down to Phil, with the occasional input from Darren and myself. It only remains for me to thank all those who helped through 2007, to wish you all a happy Xmas and New year. I look forward to your continued support in 2009. Chris Bishop Chairman GMFC.
|
 |
|
|