Hi everyone and a Happy New Year to you all. I hope that 2019 will be at least as good a soaring year as the last one and that you achieve all the goals you are no doubt already setting for yourselves for the next 12 months.
In case you aren’t yet aware I have taken over as Acting Chair from the 1st of January as Neal Clements has unfortunately had to stand down. I want to thank Neal for the sound management of the club since becoming Chair, leaving it in a better state than he found it. I hope I will be able to follow his example.
We fly all year round!
There isn’t a lot to report on the running of the club at this time of the year but I do want to remind you that we are open for flying on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday (and any other good flying days by arrangement) right through until the end of March when we return to seven day operations. Don’t get out of check when there are plenty of good training and practice, if not soaring days over the winter months. The days are getting longer again and it will soon be March. For the last few years some of my best flights have been at the begining of the season so make sure you are ready to go when the weather improves.
I do also want to encourage every member to give a few days over the winter to help get the club in good shape for the next season. There is always some cleaning needed, Den and others have made a start on redecorating the club house but there is still more to be done, the access roads need maintenance and attention and the old MT shed still needs clearing out to make it available for members to use as a workshop. If we all give just a few hours to keep the club in good shape your committee will be very grateful and our visitors will be very impressed. You will find a list of jobs that need doing on the notice board. Have a look next time you are there and do at least one of them.
There’s a welcome on the hillside
We need to present the club in the best possible light if we are to compete succesfully with the other clubs in our region and continue to attract visitors, expeditions, course members and trial lessons, all of whom help to pay for the facilities we all cherish. And we especially have to think hard about how we greet, treat and welcome them to our business, because that is what we are, in part, and they are our customers. Think about how you want to be treated as a customer when you visit a new business, offer them a similar welcome and courtesy. Think about what you say, which to us may seem like banter, but to them may be misconstrued as rudeness. We all now have a duty of care to safeguard young people so be careful about the language you use to them and to each other. Think about this as a few resolutions for the new year!
Winter Lecture Series
The next lecture in the winter series is on Saturday 12 January from the National Trust, starting at 1800. Those who have attended talks from the NT in the past will know how intersting and informative they are about the very land that we fly over.
On Saturday 9 February we are priviledged to welcome Andy Perkins, Chairman of the British Gliding Association.
Courses
The first course of the year will be the week starting Tuesday 9 April. If you or anyone you know would like to book onto this or any other course there are discounts available if you book and pay a deposit before the end of next month. Consult the club web site at midlandgliding.club/courses-2 for details or call the office Friday to Monday.
Jon Hall
Acting Chair