GCN EGM proposal

[dave3]

I have had an email from the Secretary of the 1st Veterans club, proposing an EGM for the GCN....read below

Dear All

Firstly let me introduce myself. My name is Paul Welsh and I'm the Chairman of the 1st Company Veterans Club based at Warhammer World in Nottingham. I've also recently taken on the role of GCN Knight for my local area.

You may or may not be aware that I have posted on the GCN website calling for an urgent Emergency General Meeting of the GCN. I am emailing you as you are listed on the GCN Website as one of the current 35 clubs that are members of the GCN. regretably a large number of Clubs have been removed from the current list owing to the difficulties with CRB checks. I haven't done this lightly nor unadvisedly, indeed I deeply regret that the need to call an EGM has been necessary.

I have called for an EGM in an attempt to try and improve the overall communication and to more readily promote our hobby within the GCN organisation. It is the opinion of both myself and the members of my Committee that the GCN is currently failing to live up it's ideals in promoting the hobby. It would be easy to sit back moan, snipe or groan at things that we are not happy with or we think could be improved. I personally think it's better to speak up and see if we can come up with a better solution.

So what to what am I trying to achieve:

Well I'd like to see a vast improvement in communication. Once we have this in place I believe that GCN member clubs will be better placed to interact with each in a more pro-active manner. We can help support each others events, projects, tournaments etc, pursue inter-club events and generally promote the hobby to a wider audience. In my opinion we can't do this if we can't let each other know what is going on. I also think the GCN forum could be utilised in far more proactive way. I have been contacted by some clubs that have missed out on events because of lack of communication from the GCN, in one case this includes Gamesday which I think is rather unfortunate. If we can come up with positive ideas and feasable solutions to our current problems this can only be a good thing for the GCN.

I have a few questions I'd like answered.

1. What is the GCN aiming to achieve and how does it intend to achieve it's Goals?
2. How are we going to provide and improve effective communication within the Organisation?
3. How can we coordinate, promote and support GCN Club events?
4. How can we make it easier for members to become involved in the GCN, even if it's only in a small way?
5. How can we modernise/streamline our constitution to help achieve our primary goal of promoting the hobby?

I also think that the GCN is percieved as a closed shop and I have one proposal that I'd like to make as an amendment to the current GCN rules. At present my understanding is that in order to be able to stand for a position on the GCN Council you currently have to be either a member of the Council or a Castalain Knight. I think this should be amended so that any member of any GCN Club (subject to being over the age of majority) should be allowed to stand for election if they wish so long as they have a Current GCN CRB check in place.

I have been asked by Richard Kerry (High Castalain) to put together an Agenda and forward any proposals, therefore I am asking each of you if you have any issues that you would like raising or any proposals you'd like to be put forward I would be happy to receive them and put them forward on your behalf.

What am not interested in doing is setting up a Witch Hunt, pointing fingers or a blame culture. Those that get involved as Club or GCN officials give their time freely as volunteers and as such deserve credit and respect for what they are able to give.

Thankyou for your time and attention

Regards

Paul

I would be in favour of such a meeting, as I think the GCN could be alot more to member clubs,and importantly the members than it already is. Having CRB checks, Insurance and so on is great, and good for the "housekeeping" of clubs, but members just want something special in a gaming aspect I think, something to say with pride, "we are members of a GCN club, look what we can do in our club, that you can't in yours!" Such an edge is important I feel. I would hope to attend the EGM on behalf of our club, and would invite any committee to come too (only a few would be acceptable to attend, I guess, 1 or 2)
Dave

[neuromancer]

hmm interesting

[dave3]

Does that mean you may be interested in attending maurice, as you are on our committee!
Dave

[dave3]

I have had official notification from the Castellain of the Vault, (is that, Secretary...??) of the GCN, Steve Nolan that the EGM is scheduled for 25th October 2009 at 10 am,. This is to be held at Games workshop HQ in Lenton.
Is there another committee member that would like to come with, in order that we can better serve the interests of our club when voting, and discuss any motions that may affect the club directly. ( I will drive!)
Dave

[darkangel1]

look forward to seeing you guys up there myself steve and liam are going from the phoenix

[dave3]

Yes, I am going up, any Gladiator committee wish to come along , Terry, Maurice, anyone? It would be usefull to sound out ideas and discuss any impact on the club before voting. Plus you get to see Warhammer World (if you haven't been!)
Dave

[neuromancer]

Oct 17, 2009 9:58:20 GMT dave3 said:

Yes, I am going up, any Gladiator committee wish to come along , Terry, Maurice, anyone? It would be usefull to sound out ideas and discuss any impact on the club before voting. Plus you get to see Warhammer World (if you haven't been!)
Dave

Ime up for it

[dave3]

c u @ 0745 sunday (mssg via psp @ my hotel!)

[dave3]

Well, myself and Maurice attended this meeting on the 25th. To be honest there was more discussion on CRB than the agenda, which was more than a little dissapointing, as that was THE reason for being there. I think the chap from 1st Co Vetrans who asked for the meeting was very pissed ( He resigned as a knight), and rightly so. This does pose questions on the current leadership. I think, and I hope our members agree, that the GCN has more potential for gamers than it does at present. And perhapse with a more dynamic forward thinking committee we can achieve this. AGM in January...watch this space!
Anyway, I picked up the CRB forms for our committee whilst there, so all committe please pick yours up ASP, as our 2 years is up by November. An interesting note that did arrise out of the CRB EGM(!) was that apparently if your club only has over 18's it is (as I understand the conversation) not necessary to have CRB checks. It is also illegal for an umbrellaa organisation to sign off CRB's if the candidate is only being CRB'd for one perpouse, such as going to Games Day. So do we want to ammend our Constitution to increase the age of membership to 18? what ramifications will this have with our membership of the GCN? Will it preclude a potential source of recruitment?
Dave