Item

Minute……………………………………………………………..

ACTION

2/3

4. Officers Reports

Anne apologised to Paul S for not actioning draft letter to him to use for ‘expired’ members. She would endeavour to do it asap and email over.

2/3. George’s Broadband

Agreement signed – awaiting delivery of relevant blackbox.

5. Bristol

Anne

Kath/Di

5.

Bristol – Spider reported that the Suspension Bridge negotiations had not borne fruit for allowing bikes to go across free. Thr Trustees were sympathetic, however, the firm controlling the barrier refused slight modification to allow bikes free access.

Supporting information is on the web-site asking for comments and what action members feel should be taken i.e. a demo or not!

Derwen suggested that Bristol approach the local CTC (cycles have to pay to cross Bridge as well) as the CTC had approached MAG for help recently.

Gloucester – Donna reported that Group is growing; very active and more members joined up.

Donna & her group of enthusiasts had made a MAG presence at many local (and not so local) events, sometimes assisted by Anne, Bill, Di. Very successful for MAG – good PR. Comment was made of the good atmosphere at all these events.

Swindon – Trace Annual General Meeting re-elected Trace as Swindon Rep. The Group has grown in the last year.

Mid-Wilts – Taff Exactly a year ago the Region decided to close the Group down because seeming lack of interest. However, Group resurrection extremely successful [and a valuable part of the Region – author’s note].

Animal Sanctuary Run was successful and well supported, however, made a loss on the evening party.

Local Honda Garage wish to sponsor next years Pet Food/Animal Sanctuary Run.

Idea of having MAG Stand at Superbikes. Paul to pursue re MAG tent as this has broken & liaising with manufacturers for repair/replacement.

MAG’s representation at Calne produced 1 new member into the Group.

Xmas Party is 1^st weekend in December.

Paul/Taff

Simon Milward – Derwen was asked to see how far the proposal adopted at AGC had got re a permanent memorial for Simon.

Derwen

AGC Minutes – Derwen was also asked to obtain the Minutes if available as no one could remember seeing these published in Streetbiker.

Derwen

Weston & North Somerset – Group is doing well & expanding.

Bikefest was good despite weather.

GWR tickets selling (and available at meeting)

The question was asked about advertising for this event outside MAG and that none had been seen.

Suggestion of an Events Board at Court Farm as this is such a popular venue for Rallies etc.

Marquees for GWR – Andy W to ring Paul asap.

Bill

Andy W

4.

Workload is a bit much maintaining 4 MAG websites.

George’s Newsletter to go onto the front page of Western Region web-site.

Front page to change with links to local sites and events.

Material submitted to Spider MUST be in plain text, otherwise it takes time to reformat for publication.

Spider

Spider

All

Due to relocation for work Sheila has had to resign her post

Val (Glos MAG) is taking over the post as being co-opted until AGM 2006 and her co-option was ratified by the Regional Committee.

Valerie@kingsway.eclipse.co.uk. Tel: 01453 547241.

Not much to report.

Emailed a report for the NC to Der.

Proposal: That payment for rent of room and sandwiches used for Regional Committee Meeting be paid for from Regional Funds. Seconded by Paul S. Carried.

Bill to pay and obtain money from Treasurer.

Nothing to Report.

Broadband sorted & signed up – just awaiting ‘blackbox’ for connection

George would like copy of South Glos LTP.

Anne

Derwen

Big Bikes – Malvern Showground – Derwen to investigate whether worth having a stand.

Derwen

6

National Clubs officer (Woolley) has resigned. New Officer taken on post = Fergus O’Connell.

Public Affairs Director’s Report to go onto website via Der.

Sidecars towing trailers now illegal in Belgium. Members asked to go onto MAG Belgium website where they can support MAG B with emailing letter.

Glass Road Studs – now being used nationally on roads. Apparently have been tested with motorcycles and deemed not to be dangerous. Rubbish.

CTC have asked for help with fighting this because they are dangerous to cycles.

Glass studs stand 19.5mm rpoud of the road surface!

MEP Ride Mid Lincs members had hitherto provided riders for this. However, interested members are required to liaise with their MEPs to see if they would like to attend the rider. If so, the member can approach Central for details.

Anne said that there was financial assistance with both the crossing ticket, mileage and accommodation but details need to be confirmed via Central or the National Treasurer.

Regional Report Form is to be re-vamped and resurrected by Trevor.

Web Group to look at existing web-site which is inadequate & costly.

Streetbiker – can be couriered 2 bundles for £10.

MAG’s Commercial Contractor – still looking at possible options.

Public Liability Insurance - should be taken out by anyone putting on a stand at an event. This would be FREE. Ian Jones should be contacted and a risk assessment form completed. A discussion ensued whereby our Region exhibits at many events throughout the year and it would be a pain in the butt to have to complete a risk assessment for each one. It was therefore decided to do the risk assessment for the Bristol Bike Show and use that as a template for all other events we exhibit at.

Bill to take care of this for this years BBS and this will be used as template for future events.

Bill

Membership – increasing slowly. Quoted figures are good.

Regional Reps Training – Sunday after October NC.

New Eastern Rep - from mid-Lincs.

NEC stand – to be 3^rd the size this year and no raffle tickets [yippee]

Blood Transfusion Service – MAG supporting [Sorry Der – I didn’t get this down properly]

MAG Foundation – now has an employee, partly employed by them and partly by MAG.

2006 AGC – Bromsgrove on 8^th April.

National Bikesafe – at NC Jane (vice-Chair) had read out a list of events that the National Stand, now held in Yorkshire, would be exhibiting at. National Bikesafe was not on the list and a discussion ensued as to: a) the viability of our Region doing it and b) the viability of couriering down the MAG Exhibition stands to our Region. Derwen to investigate the options open to us re the stands.

There is no doubt we could do it, it is just a matter of whether we use MAG National exhibition stuff or our own.

Donna feels that, as in 2005 there was nothing for exhibitors to do in the evenings, there is great potential here for us putting on an evening event for them. Support is there from within the Region to help.

Administrator - National Bikesafe to be on the Regional October Agenda.

Date for 2006 event is 1^st and 2^nd April @ Cheltenham Racecourse.

Derwen

Anne

Beach Race 1^st/2^nd October – Marshalls wanted especially for the Sunday.

A discussion ensued regarding the storage of the helmets. A camouflage net was suggested as these are very strong.

Concern was expressed on the public liability aspect of us providing the marquee and keeping all the profits whereas this had previously been split with the Council and therefore had been covered by their insurance.

All

Welsh Show – Derwen said it had been muted to request our Region to put on the MAG stand at this show next year. Some present were against this and the question was asked that ‘if the show had been such a success for memberships then why wasn’t this Show on the list of those where the National Stand would be in attendance?’.

Trace – applying and completing the form for events on line does not give the sender a reply message of confirmation that it has been received. Consequently, the sender did not know if the event would be publicised until Streetbiker was published. Derwen to investigate but meanwhile suggested that the sender requests confirmation from Ian Jones who is the recipient of the events and who actions their publicity.

Donna – suggested we collect the stamps with bikes on currently on sale for future mailouts etc., however, if these are only 1^st class then the extra cost to postage probably is a viable option.

Also, Donna informed us that Rick (Wing Commander) Phillips, who is Oxford Rep and who had attended many of our events had been involved in an accident quite some months ago & been quite badly injured.

Derwen

Meeting closed at 5.05. Next meeting: October 9^th.