AWCC

 The North-West Region of the AWCC celebrates its 40th Anniversary this year, and are having A bit of a Do…

and you get garlic bread too…

A copy of the poster is available for download here

John Dodswell addressed the AGM of the Shrewsbury Branch of the IWA on March 19th 2013. John is a trustee of the Canal & River Trust.

We think that the content of his address may be of interest and attach the full text below.

John will be the guest speaker at the AWCC AGM in 2014 and we look forward to hearing him.

IWA Shrewsbury AGM speech 090313

There are three different options for you to choose from:

Cruise to Bridge Barn in Woking and return: Woodham Junction to Bridge Barn on Good Friday 29-March with return to Woodham on Easter Monday 01-April.

 Cruise to Brookwood and Bridge Barn: As per item 1 to Bridge Barn with a cruise to Brookwood (Country Park – not using the Brookwood flight)on Easter Saturday (30-April) and return to Bridge Barn on Easter Sunday (31-March)

Cruise the full length of the canal: Read the rest of this entry »

From March 31st, all BSS examinations will be recorded electronically, so for certificates issued after that date, you will no longer required to send the blue copy to your boat licencing authority, as details will be stored centrally in the BSS central database.

More detailed information is included in the attached PDF from BSS.

Your BSS Certificate is changing

The Chairman (Bryan Pollard) opened the Meeting by welcoming all including Bernie & Jen Budworth of N&BCYC.

1. Apologies from: Sheila Eastham (ACE), Harry Davies (Sale), Sandra Henstock (LCC), Derek Harrison (Furness Vale), Frank Rose (Sale), Ben Williams (WCC),

2. Minutesof the last meeting (November 2012) were accepted as circulated.

Matters Arising

3.1 Marple Wharf – John Suggitt is making a 3D model of the site to show the effects of the planned development. He hopes to bring it to the next Meeting.

3.2 Castlefields – restricted mooring. Now cleared of a number of live a board boats making room for visitors.

3.7 Theft from boats on the Bridgewater. No further problems reported at the recent FBCC meeting.

3.8 40^th Anniversary for the NW Region. The original plan for a Dinner Dance has been replaced by a

suggested informal gathering at WHCC on 1 June – See AOB

4. Proposed EU harmonisation of water craft licences. This seems to have died a death.

3. Secretary’s Report

• Stoppages – Check waterscape Web Site. http://www.waterscape.com/boating. Individuals can sign up to automatically receive notification of stoppages etc on specific waterways (not just every canal in the country).
• Barton Aqueduct. Closed for Annual Maintenance 10 March (4.30pm) to 23 March (12 noon).
• Northwich Developments. Work has now started to clear the site. The boat shed has gone and machinery is on site.
• AWCC National AGM at Stafford BC on 16 March. Club Reps attending who require lunch, please advise the National Secretary, Roland Dotchin.

4. Treasurer’s Report

Latest accounts circulated. Current funds £5270.10. 5 clubs still to pay their subs.

5. Quartermaster’s Report

Harry Davies is away on holiday. There remains a small amount of stock which can be made available if someone wishes to take it back to their own club for sale to members at a discount.

6. Chairman’s Report

• Frank Rose is retiring as Rep for Sale CC after many years service.
• T&M Breaches. Croxton re-opened on 27 November ahead of schedule. At Dutton there remains much to do but the access road is now in place.
• Marple Locks. A number of gates are being replaced at a cost of over £100K.
• AWCC handbook. 6 clubs have submitted orders.
• AWCC car/boat window stickers are available @ £1.50 from the Treasurer.
• Safety Booklets dealing with fires and CO2 are available.
• Robin Evans, CEO of C&RT is stepping down shortly
• AWCC National Rally 11 to 13 July. Looking for 3 ‘value’ prizes for a national lottery draw.
• Ian Crozier of PBBOA resigning as their Rep and giving up boating after 38 yearsChairman away from end of January to mid March and will miss the AGM

7. AWCC Handbook Updates

Please keep the Secretary advised of any updates/changes to Club Officers etc.

8. Any other business

• Beer & Folk Festival Crooke (L&L)2013. Specific date not yet confirmed.
• NCCC is celebrating its 70^th anniversary at a gathering on August bank Holiday.
• The Friends of Kennet have been approached by a film company to use it in a film about street gangs during WW1.
• 85 boats have so far booked in for the FBCC rally
• The RLRS AGM is on 25 March at BMBC in Runcorn at 1930.
• The BMBC dry dock is available to external boaters from June onwards
• BMBC boater’s complaint regarding lack of interest/support for him stranded by the T&M breaches and his solo passage via the MSC to Manchester. It turns out that there were 9 boats in a similar position and if it had been organised in the same manner as those going to Ellesmere Port it would have saved them all money. The complaint went through the full procedure and eventually he was offered £50 compensation by C&RT.
• There are still a number of boats stranded at Anderton by the breach.
• The entrance to the arm at Nantwich on the SUC is getting more silted.
• AWCC NW 40^th Anniversary Celebration. To mark 40 years of AWCC NW and that all but the first Meeting has been held at WHCC, a Get Together is being organised at WHCC on the evening of Saturday 1 June (end of Whit Week) and the weekend after the FBCC Rally. It will have a Northern theme with music provided by Graeme Bridge and resident DJ and a Lancashire Hotpot supper. Old friends and past regulars will be invited. There is plenty of room to moor. Cost will be about £8 per person. Please contact Roland Dotchin

9. Date of Next Meeting

Thursday 14^th March at WHCC at 8pm – AGM. The Chairman advised that all current Officers were willing to carry on if required. Any further nominations for the posts to be sent to the President, Roland Dotchin by24 February.A buffet will be provided on the night and all were asked to bring something. Geoff Hollies will provide the curry. Suggestions for a Guest speaker were requested. The Chairman advised that he would be away at the time of the AGM.

There being no further business the Chairman closed the Meeting.

21 years ago. January 1992

The impending Certificate of compliance and the proposed Transport and General Works Bill and AWCC’s objection to the latter were reported on. The NW Region had contributed over £1K (one third of the total) to the Fighting Fund challenging the imposition by BW of mooring fees on End of Garden/Farm Moorings. BW was insisting that the company responsible for the breach at Blackburn on the L&L start the repair work immediately. BW offered to crane boats around the breach at their expense from the end of March. The NW Winter Social was to be held at NCCC in mid March.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING AGM – Thursday 14^th March 2013 at 8pm at Watch House Cruising Club, Stretford, Manchester

(and Thursday 9^th May 2013)