The Victoria Shadow Association

 

Annual Luncheon and General Meeting - 2008 held on Sunday, 16th November at the London Corinthian Sailing Club

 

The attendance at our Annual Luncheon and General Meeting this year was disappointing after several years of near capacity meetings. A select group of eighteen sat down to dine in the Commodore's Room and we moved to the Captain's Room for the General Meeting itself. Those present at the luncheon were: Brian and Dawn Smith, Dave Probert and Angela Cullinan, John and Carolyn Cade, Barrie and Lucy Marson, Peter and Jenny Cosker, John and Wann Sadler, John Tyer, Olive Hathaway, Simon Fraser and Janet Gayler, Roy Dawkins and Freida Walsh. We were delighted that Chas Argent was able to join us for the General Meeting.

Linden House

 

Barrie Marson and Olive Hathaway		Dave Probert, Angela Cullinan and John Tyer

 

No attempt will be made here to give a full account of the business of the meeting; the Minutes will supply all the detail in due course. However, certain 'headline' events can be mentioned. Members living abroad to pay more! After some lively discussion, it was decided by the meeting that all members should pay the same £15 p.a. subscription in future. Many members living in the more distant parts of the United Kingdom did not benefit from the present socials and rallies, a justification for the lower subscription paid in the past by members living abroad. In fact, because of recent increases in postage a case could be made for foreign members to pay more than our members in this country. After accepting the Treasurer's report and agreeing the accounts, we were told that Kate Ridge, our Auditor for several years, was retiring having done a splendid job. We were delighted to learn that our new Auditor is to be John Sadler. Big changes at the top. Each year all the Officers of the Association stand down but may offer themselves for re-election. This year three of our senior men said they wouldn't stand again. Barrie Marson has been a member since the earliest days and was Vice Chairman for many years as well as 'Waterlines' Editor, recently renamed Journal Editor. The next edition of 'Waterlines' is likely to be the last unless someone is found to replace him. Dave Probert, also a member since the creation of the Association has held the Office of Chairman - Motor-cruisers for the last fourteen years, which he feels is long enough! Dave also organizes the Shadow Rallies and unless someone steps forward there may not be a Shadow Rally in 2009. Finally, Brian Smith our Chairman - Yachting will be standing down after five and a bit years in the job. All three were given a much deserved vote of thanks by those present. None of them plan to disappear from the scene completely and they will all remain members of the Association. New Chairman - Yachting elected! The General Meeting unanimously appointed Anne Grubb to be the new 'Chair'. Anne had not been able to attend the meeting this year, for personal reasons, but had agreed to the nomination and will assume her new role from the beginning of 2009. Brian Smith has agreed to continue as Chairman until then. Anne is very popular with the members on the East Coast and will combine her new role with that of East Coast Organiser. List of Officers this is how it looks

The Victoria Cup is being refurbished. Yes, it is to have new plaques as the present ones are full up! Barrie holds a photograph of the trophy for all to see but the cup itself could not be there. This year the cup was won by Jerry Bottrill, who did incredibly well in The Round The Island Race (reported on another page of the website). Unfortunately, Jerry couldn't be there either and the jest was that a 'virtual cup' was being presented to a 'virtual member'.     In fact apart from winning the trophy, Jerry has taken an active part in the trophy's restoration on behalf of the Association and we owe him a big vote of thanks. Well, if you'd won it, you would like it to look nice on your mantelpiece and you'd need room to get your name engraved on it, wouldn't you?

 

The Victoria Cup II, for the best cruising log, was present and correct, as were the winners, Simon Fraser and Janet Gayler. Olive Hathaway, on the left of the photograph, presented the cup to Simon and Olive was also one of the judges of the competition. There were just two entries this year and the competition was a close run thing, apparently. Simon went on to give the 'Virgin Atlantic' presentation at the end of the meeting, which was excellent (Simon had practised on the Cruising Association earlier!) Simon and Janet answered a goodly number of questions from the floor and the meeting over-ran the scheduled finish time somewhat. Dave Probert closed the meeting.

Olive Hathaway, Janet Gayler and Simon Fraser with Brian Smith looking on.

This page last updated on the 16 November 2008