R7 COMMITTEE?

[PeterABrook]

What has happened? Mark and Carol asked for VOLUNTEERS to form a committee to help run Region 7 events. I highlight the word ‘volunteers’ my understanding of the word is that you offer to help so don’t wait to be ASKED to join.
We are all keen to have events, so don’t be shy boys and girls- fingers out, step forward and ‘do your bit’. I’m sure it won't be a massive time commitment – you never know, you may actually enjoy it!
Peter

 

[dean wilkinson]

Hi All,

I have volunteered to assist at events if I'm available. My job means I aren't always available, but I do feel that the club offers such good value for the small membership I pay each year, I would like to help give something back and reduce the burden on Mark and Carol. They do almost everything! As our region has grown over the last decade (that's because our region is awesome!), so too have the task/s that are required to run the region. After attending the fantastic event yesterday (Roger and Elaine's NW 100 V2), it must have been nice for Mark and Dan to just enjoy the event without having to organise everything......

The idea of starting a group (committee sounds a bit formal) to help run the club is a great start. I'm happy to be part of a group who would all have input, come up with ideas for events and help with any admin tasks. It would be nice to meet up with others that are like minded and interested in helping our run our region. People who have ideas or time to help at events. I'm sure with our support, we can keep the R& region great and all continue to enjoy being part of it.

Perhaps this forum would be a place for people to start talking about this?

 

[MHelks]

To echo what Peter and Dean have already said, I’m sure a group of like minded people will be able to put together an amazing calendar of activities for the whole region - and the more people that help will make the running of events easier / generate more ideas

 

[carnaby35]

Right, here's my input.

Thinking of starting a breakfast meeting on say a Sunday morning once a month during the winter. It would give us all something to get up for and something to do in the bad weather. I have a few venues in mind.

Could I please have people's opinions on this with an indication of who might be interested before I start organising anything.

Cheers,

Chris

 

[dean wilkinson]

Hi sounds like a promising start, I'd be up for that......

 

[PeterJRolt]

We would be interested, hopefully some might be towards the eastern part of the region.

 

[markgrainger0]

Winter breakfast meets sounds really good yes up for it

 

[Roger Goode]

Whilst enthusiasm and ideas are to be applauded, the ‘group‘ must be formed and consider proposals and decide what to develop on behalf of R7.

 

[Ian Gilmour]

I think you have a point, Roger, but I also think there is a risk that the tone of your post could dampen the enthusiasm that has been shown for future activities. My suggestion is that any discussion about a potential committee should be taken off-line rather than continued on the forum, perhaps at next month's Club Night?

 

[Roger Goode]

I don’t think there’s a ‘tone in my post’ and anyone offended by my post must have a very thin skin.

My point is that whilst ideas are undoubtedly welcome, descisions regarding what is done in the name of the club must ultimately come from the people with that authority, the Regional Organisers.

I totally agree that this forum is not the appropriate place for discussion about a potential committee, which is pretty much what I was implying in my post.

I’m not sure that the regular club night is the appropriate place either as it’s a social meeting. I‘m sure that once volunteers names have been received by Carol and Mark they will decide how to proceed.

 

[Ian Gilmour]

As I said in my reply, I acknowledge your point that a group needs to be established before ideas can be aired and debated but we clearly have different perceptions of the way that was expressed. Personally, I wasn't offended by your post but could understand if others had been.

I suggested the next Club Night as a possible time to discuss this matter as it is the next available opportunity when R7 members will meet but Mark and Carol will ultimately decide and reading the latest Porsche Post it seems that this will be during a separate meeting in November.

 

[PeterJRolt]

Our apologies for not attending the regional meetings, to do so requires a three and a half hour round trip which to be honest does not really appeal. We were therefore unaware of the committee volunteer request until this topic was posted.

We are quite keen to play a more active part in the club but do fear our location on the east coast may preclude participation on a regular basis, we are still willing to assist if at all possible, there are some nice roads and great places to visit out here in the extremities.

 

[dean wilkinson]

Hi Peter, I would like to hear more about the route and I think your input would be greatly appreciated.

It's great to see that we have some real interest in exploring options for our region and how it could be run.

Perhaps we could all start to talk about the next step at next weeks meet at Woodlands? Nothing too serious, just a general chat about ideas on how and who can contribute.......

 

[GT4Mike]

I thought before responding, then thought again about what and how to say what I want to say as I’m a new member to the club, but have enjoyed a good few events in a short space of time but don’t wish to cause any offence.

The position the region finds itself is atypical of most clubs and groups at some point in their history. There will always be a hard core of helpers and volunteers behind the ‘leadership’. People will always be quick to offer well meaning advice (usually a moan in reality), criticism or a passive expression of interest about things but seldom do people ‘step up’ and take responsibility, in this case the vacant position of RO or Commitee

The fact that a member has proffered the idea of winter breakfast meetings shouldn’t be dismissed completely, as from the thread a number of members are interested, as am I, but nor at this point should we become too officious, or precious, on what is ultimately a club, and forum, to be enjoyed as enthusiasts of Porsche. Coupled to that the fact that as currently there is no clear path that will allow Mark and Carol a prompt exit, and a well deserved rest, those that wish to discuss ideas openly should be allowed to do so on here, as it is a forum after all, but in my honest opinion even better at the club night as surely that is a perfect opportunity to discuss these things face to face in a relaxed environment, it doesn’t necessarily stop the evening being ’social’ either but maybe it becomes ‘social and constructive‘ then once (if) enough ideas and people come forward we then take those ideas into a more formal and structured discussion in line with requirements of the club to then make the formal changes across the region?

Just my two penneth fellow enthusiasts.

Mike

 

[dean wilkinson]

Hi Mike,

Well said Mike.

I like the idea people can voice their ideas on here and not be judged. The club is great and we want to help keep it great.

It's early days and we are all interested in what direction the club is now going to go in. I have really enjoyed being part of the club and have met some great people that I wouldn't have unless I had joined.

This forum thread has been a starting place for people to be able to write down and share their thoughts. So far we have some good ideas and perhaps more importantly, people are showing interest in being part of the club's decision making and planning.

I also like the idea of being able to talk to people about this at the next meeting. With winter approaching, it's probably a good time of year to be talking about it. We will need to think about next years calendar and events.

Any type of feedback, whether it is an idea or a moan, is helpful to understand what members want from the club. If we don't communicate with each other, we are less likely to make progress........

 

[supersport]

I glad to see that the debate has started.

Here is my two penneth.

I am all for open discussion here on the forum or else where, open and transparent is best and I am glad to see it is starting, we were starting to get worried that no one was interested So keep it up.

Peter Rolt you should have got the last news letter where we introduced the idea of the COG and the same information has just plopped through your letterbox in PP. If you aren't getting the news letter (if I remember rightly you are across two Regions then you can subscribe to R7 via your profile on here, if you get stuck I can take it offline and talk you through it).

We have always welcomed anyone organising events in addition of whatever we do, and I think this should continue into the future. Chris' post is just to garner interest and that is great and I like the idea of Sunday meets through the winter - I may not always attend. However we end up organised we should encourage as much participation as possible.

I am happy to talk to people at Club night and for the discussion to continue. However, our plan was to get the group of interested parties together separately to concentrate on the COG alone. The Club nights aren't really conducive to this happening. There are always new members to greet and questions to be answered.

The important thing for me is that those members that put themselves forward must be able to deliver on their commitment, if we can get 8 to 10 members along side ourselves this should be a fairly light commitment and give us more as a Region than we can currently deliver.

 

[PeterJRolt]

Peter Rolt you should have got the last news letter where we introduced the idea of the COG and the same information has just plopped through your letterbox in PP. If you aren't getting the news letter (if I remember rightly you are across two Regions then you can subscribe to R7 via your profile on here, if you get stuck I can take it offline and talk you through it).

Thank you Mark, I have just checked my profile and seem to be subscribing to R7, either I have made an error or we have slipped through the net. PP arrived yesterday so I did pick up the post in there.

 

[GT4Mike]

Thanks Dean, just trying to be objective.

Having now read PP I too see there is a meeting in November arranged.

Hopefully I’ll get to the club night next week to catch up with everyone.

Mike

 

[carolj]

Thank you everyone for your input on this. I think we do need a core group of organisers and Mark and I can no longer do justice to the region on our own. However, this doesn't have to be too onerous and no one should feel that by joining the COG (as I have called it) will mean that they will have to organise events on their own. We have a wonderful group of members in Yorkshire who are all quite active at various events and we do already get quite a bit of help. If we have a core group it doesn't preclude people making suggestions about events either for others to organise or offering to help put on events with the COG's help. Chris Chappell your winter breakfast meetings are a great idea and they can be all over the region like the bacon butty ones were. I would love to have help from all over the region so we can have events which suit everyone throughout the year irrespective of where you live Peter Rolt. Please email us if you would like to be involved in the COG, if you would just like to help with occasional events or if you just have ideas for events that you would like others to arrange. All offers of help and suggestions will be gratefully received.

 

[Roger Goode]

When I wrote my one line comment on 24th I was simply saying that it’s great that people are enthusiastic and putting forward ideas but that anything organised on behalf of the club has to be agreed by those with the authority, the Regional Organisers, in due course with input from the COG as Carol has called the group. Of course members can organise whatever they like whenever they like but can’t call it an R7 event, without approval.

Ian Gilmour thinks there was a “tone’ to my comment that might dampen enthusiasm. Let me assure everyone that there wasn’t a “tone”, it was merely a statement of fact. Maybe I could have made my comment pink and fluffy but I didn’t think that was necessary on an R7 forum. I don’t think Porsche owners are easily dented. I certainly hope that nobody was offended or had their enthusiasm dampened. If I have offended anyone let me assure you that that was most certainly not my intention and I apologise to anyone whose enthusiasm was dented. I said and I mean that “enthusiasm and ideas are to be applauded”.

For the record I think the suggestion by Chris, Carnaby35 of Sunday breakfast meets during the winter, is an excellent idea.

In overtly criticisIng me publcly on this forum, Ian Gilmour clearly did not consider or did not care about whether my enthusiasm might be dented.

I‘m sure that creation of the COG will energise what is already a great and vibrant region (thanks largely to the great work of Carol and Mark) still further. It will I think raise the profile of the club in all parts of Yorkshire and it will definitely ease the pressure on Carol and Mark by spreading the load.

I note Mark‘s intention of holding a meeting of volunteers in November and look forward to 2019 which I’m sure will be another great year for R7.