Back to the Chequers again for the AGM, and what was possibly the quickest dispensing ever of the formalities – half an hour or so! The new committee was unanimously elected as follows:
President: Dan Unwin
Treasurer: Richard Spraggett
Secretary: Martin Butler
Committee: Sarah Davies (Webmaster), Keyna Garner, Emma Gray, Bob Hotchkis, Callum Ings, Andy Miles, Claire White
The meeting included discussion of items such as plans for the website redesign and running multiple trips on weekends, after which the meeting was closed and dinner was served.
After dinner the President’s speech ran through the events of the year. The Club ran a number of successful trips and events in 2006, most of which have been written up in last year’s Journal.
Dan then presented the following awards:
Best Trip: Richard Spraggett, for Black Sail Hut.
Absolute Altitude Award: Lee Farmer, for getting 7200m up Cho Oyu in Nepal.
Cumulative Altitude Award: Steve Venton, for logging an impressive 17,800m of height gain during the year.
Golden Underpants: Steve Climpson, for his nasty accident in Austria (from which, thankfully, he is making a full recovery).
Navigation Award: Alan Tinkler, for his plunge off the side of Kinder Scout on a navigation weekend.
Girl Guide Award (for being unprepared): Andy Miles, for failing to book a campsite and trying to cancel his trip at the last minute.
Mountaineering Achievement: Dave Hall, for barely breaking a sweat while completing the Bullock Smithy.
Sartorial Elegance Award (for interesting items of clothing glimpsed on Club members): Catherine Conway – if you were in Pembrokeshire, you’ll know why…
Most Trips Award (for most meets attended during the year): Bruce Wilson, who managed 17 trips out of a possible 24.Dan also presented Rhoda with a thank you gift for all the hard work she has done as Communications Director over the years.
Finally, just when Dan thought the awards were over, Claire surprised him with one more:
The St Bernard Award for Mountain Rescue: Dan Unwin and Malcolm Spence, for pulling Steve up on the via ferrata in Austria and administering first aid until the rescue helicopter arrived.
The party then continued with a DJ and a selection of (mountain-themed) music, before a brief foray into Bar Cuba and for those still conscious, drinking well into the early hours. Photos, courtesy of Martin, Claire and Catherine, can be found here.
Sarah Davies
