Stubbington Green Runners

THIS year's Stubbington Green Runners AGM takes part at the Crofton Pub in Crofton Lane, Stubbington on Tuesday, June 19th. It will be an 8pm for an 8.30pm start. If you have any agenda items that you would like discussed, or if you would be interested in standing as one of the committee (does anyone want Andy Simpson's Muddy Shoes job?), then contact Mark Le Gassick.

Among the key positions which will need new faces are treasurer, where Ann Rawlins is stepping down from the role, the aforementioned Mr Simpson is hanging up his shoes as cross country secretary, while Glen and Caroline Street are handing on the task of club kit representatives.

Please get along to the AGM next week, have a say in the running of your club.

Looking ahead to the AGM, chairman Mike Clarke reflects on a busy year for the club:

"THROUGHOUT this year there has been much discussion relating to the emergence of Association of Running Clubs and their decision to split from UK Athletics. I attended both the ARC and UKA meetings earlier this year, and reported back to the committee.

I believe we have made the right decision to stay with UKA for at least the next year; this will give us the opportunity to assess the progress UKA is making in the coming months and also how much support ARC gets.

At the end of 2006 the club hosted its first presentation evening. A lot of hard work was put in by members of the social committee, the evening was a great success, and I hope we can repeat the event this year.

The club's 10km race saw a new race director take the helm. The race has always had a good reputation, and this year's race continued in the same vein. Without your help it would not be possible. Next year we will be looking for your time and effort to put on the 2008 race.

The club has continued to perform well on the road, country and track. The beginners' course held last year introduced new members to the club, and this year's event has continued that theme. It is good to see new faces coming into the club.

On a personal note I have spent most of the last year out injured. The plus side to this, though, out the cold winter months was that I was in a nice warm gym.

I have been along to some of the recent Tuesday and Thursday sessions and was disappointed with the low turnout. Is this because people don't like the sessions? Do we need to look at changing the venues, or the times? Without feedback it is difficult to know what to do. If you have any ideas, then please come forward.

This leads me onto the usual cry for help. A number of long-standing committee members are standing down this year and I must thank them all for their hard work. We need new members to come forward with new ideas. With your help we can continue to develop this club, without help we will stagnate.

A good example of new ideas has been the changes made to the newsletter. We already had a very good, informative publication, but with a new person taking over this has moved the newsletter onto a new level. We need these kind of changes throughout the club.

A little bit of your time could make a big difference to the club."