Hi to the Nidd Valley Runners Team,
Hoping this my first communication to all the members finds you safe, well, and in good health, together with your families.
On Wednesday we held our AGM, and strangely I was voted to be in the Chair for the coming year. I say strangely because when I originally discussed the position with Christine I felt like there were so many more of you members in the club that would have done a wonderful job, and that I felt like the “new kid on the block”. People like Phil Robinson with over 30 years with the club and Dave Seaman with over 20 years with the club. In fact Wednesday we voted and unanimously agreed that both Phil and Dave should be given honorary membership for their wonderful service. Let us congratulate these 2 fine fellows on this recognition, it is so well deserved.
So now you may understand why I felt so inadequate in taking on the role, because there are so many more members like Phil and Dave. However I was voted in and so will do my best to work with the committee in supporting the members. Also on Wednesday the committee was reshuffled. Stepping down were Christine Jones, Christina Taylor, Sarah Chalmers, and Nadene Wilkinson. Whenever in my career I have taken on a new role I always adopted the saying, “we stand on the shoulders of Giants before us” Therefore let us thank these 4 Giants for unselfishly giving their precious time to support us all in the past. Hopefully it will now not be long before we can shake their hands and thank them personally.
Coming onto the committee is, Christopher Morris – Secretary, Sarah Staiano – Ladies Captain, Emma David – General Member, and Mike Deacon – General Member. Therefore let us thank them all for committing their time over this coming year.
Also we should take the time to thank the remaining committee members that continue to unselfishly serve the club.
Over the coming weeks I will take the opportunity to chat to as many of you as I can to understand more the history of the club, the strengths and also how I/we on the committee can best serve the members over this next year. Therefore please do not hesitate to contact me if you feel you could help me understand more of where my time could be best spent.
In the future I will periodically send out The Chairs report covering all information that would be relevant coming from me, trying not to cross over with people that know far more than me on other subjects. To this end Emma David, who does such great work in training our members, will include in her report all events at the club on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s together with races coming up, currently virtual, and in the future actual. Emma is very happy to take on this responsibility, and we have agreed to meet Tuesday to discuss the detail.
The minutes of the AGM together with relevant information will be available to all members very soon.
A reminder that the XC 5 event is currently taking place. All the information can be found on the website or Nidd Valley Runners Facebook page. Let’s encourage, maybe those ( like me ) to take part in these events. We must remember that people need encouragement. They get out of the habits we know are good for them . Last week as a result of Dave Seaman encouraging me we together did a 15k across the moors. If he hadn’t have contacted me I would not have done it. Thanks Dave.
Finally may I take this opportunity to say I am looking forward to working with the committee, and supporting the members of the club over this coming year.
Onwards and Upwards
Rob Northfield