‘NATIONAL FORUM’

WITH KEITH MOTT

The National Flying Club committee held an R.P.R.A. 168 meeting at the Gainsborough House Hotel, Kidderminster, on Friday 17th. January and although it clashed with the Blackpool show weekend, the attendance was first class. The club President, Bill Harris, was in the chair and the general mood in the conference room seemed good and positive.

There were four letters of grievance, with the 2002 A.G.M. ballot paper and the longest old bird race. The first two letters, from Ken Hind and Peter Titmuss M.B.E., were of a similar nature, objecting to items 10 and 11 on the A.G.M. voting paper. In his address to the committee, Peter, said that with the recent problems over the longest old bird race, the committee should show a bit of ‘give and take’ and resolve the issue for the good of the National Flying Club. As the President, Bill Harris, was an interested party, he was asked to vacate the chair and life vice president, Ken Hanby, took over the proceedings, and after much discussion all interested parties were asked to leave the room. The vote was unanimous to turn down the two 168 letters and they failed. The next two 168 letters, sent in from Frank Howard and Geoff Cooper, were also very similar, being based around the longest old bird race and rule 14. Frank Howard was in attendance and put over both his and Geoff’s case to the committee very well, but the vote was 100% in favour of turning down their 168 grievances. Bill Harris produced a fifth letter, sent in by Calum Edmiston of Horley, which he wanted to read out, but this was disallowed by the committee, as this item was nothing to do with the 168 meeting.

The general mood of the committee was very determined, wanting to sort out the 2003 race programme and with time running out, opened another meeting under rule 5. This rule states: Emergency meeting. In an emergency the committee to have power to resolve that emergency, five members including the President and vice chairman to form a quorum. The British Homing World and The Racing Pigeon to be the official organ of the publication of any decisions taken at such meetings, which shall be deemed notice to the members.

The 2003 race programme will be:

7th. June Nantes (code 5031)

21st. June Saintes (code 5042)

12th. July Dax (code 5016)

25th. July Pau (code 5034)

6th. September the young birds and old hens will race from Falaise (code 5017).

The Dax race will be self supporting, being flown with the International and the Pau race will be the Grand National. The committee asked a delegation of Bill Harris, Keith Mott, John Tyerman and Stan Dangerfield to go to Belgium for talks with the International organization to sort out the requirements for the Dax race.

That weekend I spent several hours on the N.F.C. stand at the Blackpool show and there was a great ‘buzz’ about the 2003 race programme, with many members saying it was the best programme the National has ever had. The President, Bill Harris, maintains that introducing the extra race is a major step forward for the N.F.C. The club’s secretary, Sid Barkel, has informed me that the National has sold in excess of 100,000 rings prior to 1st. January, including 1,300 gold rings. All ring sold prior to the new year have been registered with the R.P.R.A.

Thanks to Bill Harris and Ken Hanby for their sterling work at the two Kidderminster meetings and as always at our committee meetings, common sense prevailed! A very important ‘NATIONAL FORUM’ this week! If you have any views on the N.F.C. and need to contact me about them, I’m on TELE: 01372 463480, EMAIL ADDRESS: keithmott@btopenworld.com or write to 38,Foxwarren, Claygate, Esher, Surrey, KT10 0JZ

Text by Keith Mott (N.F.C. Press Officer).