Posted by Glyn Wade
Following a suggestion that the committee should introduce themselves at a recent meeting I thought I’d go a step further and explain just what it is that we all do. So here goes!
The executive committee of Willfield Camera Club meet every couple of months to discuss club matters. Prior to the meeting the secretary draws up a draft agenda and asks for suggestions from club members as to anything they would like included for discussion. Other committee members are emailed a draft agenda and offered the same opportunity.
The Chairperson then leads the meeting through the points on the agenda and ends with the ubiquitous ‘AOB-any other business’. Quite often points are easily covered but hot topics such as photo manipulation in POTM can take a while longer.
The Secretary is responsible for distributing the minutes after the meeting and so spends their time scribbling notes that only they can read (well in my case that’s what happens anyway!). This will then be transmogrified into a document that will be sent out to all members of the club. The current secretary also writes articles for the website, uploads photographs and articles from other members as well as other duties such as booking speakers, introducing meetings, arranging the Christmas meal, answering membership enquiries from the website and arranging nights out.
The current Chairperson was responsible for the setting up of this wonderful website and still updates a lot of things on here including uploading articles and updating pictures such as the POTM winners. She also assists the Secretary organise nights in and out whilst making sure he has his shoes on the right feet as well…….
Prior to the AGM which is held in September the committee have an extra meeting to discuss how this will be run and what should be included. At the actual AGM all positions are up for grabs and people can either be nominated or nominate themselves. Of course people may step down during the year and then an open vote takes place on a club night to decide upon a successor.
I’ve already mentioned the Chairperson and Secretary so who else is there? We have a Membership Secretary who is responsible for welcoming new members, sorting out the members’ contact list and issuing membership forms to new members. We have a Treasurer who collects money, pays money, banks money and sorts out things like insurance and room hire.
There are also back-ups for all these positions which are filled by some able deputies who will assist and indeed step in during absence. So there are eight people working hard to keep the club ticking along. Then we have the people who make the tea, the people who get up and present, the experts who share their knowledge and give up their time at weekends, the people who help to set up and pack away, Phil who sorts out POTM and brings in his own equipment for use on club nights, the people who bring in props, display units, their own lights, arrange models etc…..and I bet I’ve forgotten someone or something someone does….if I have, sorry!
And, just so you know, the current committee members are listed at the bottom of this page:
But it’s a group effort and, as secretary I’d like to thank everyone for the things they do. We have created a club we can be proud of and of which it is fun to be a member as well as an inclusive learning environment where knowledge is shared.
Then of course we have the planning committee…
