Just one or two bits of info to keep you informed.
First concerns parking at Hanbury over the Winter.
David the landlord has very kindly agreed to us parking inside one of his barns.
It is the GREEN barn on the left as you enter the farm.. the one between the caravan store and the wood store.
Once parked on the concrete inside the barn you then have direct access via the open door at the far end directly into the top of our flying field.
So no more driving on muddy tracks . This facility will remain for the next 3 months at least. Great.
I will be going over there later this week to pay the rent for 2021 plus some bottles of wine and a Christmas card.
Good to see lots of members paying the £52 subs already..Where else can you pay £! Per week for such facilities as a mown runway, free parking, good company and a beautiful view ?
And of course a new field at Rushwick to look forward to. We still have a few vacancies. Also we have, in the last few days, had new people join from looking at our website even saying on line – to quote one new member, “ we looked at local clubs around Malvern area and your website was by far the most appealing” enough said.
Thanks again for all your compliments posted on the AGM hub last week – very much appreciated.
The UK adopted the EU regulations for unmanned aircraft (which included model flying) in 2019 and these will come into effect on December 31st, 2020. This is the same day that we exit from the EU, but regulations in place at the point of departure will be transferred directly into UK law.
Some requirements of the EU regulations were already in place (such as a height limits, Operator Registration and Competency requirements) following changes to the Air Navigation Order set out in 2018, but the EU regulations introduce further changes. Full details of the regulations for the operation of unmanned aircraft (which includes model aircraft) can be found in CAP 722 (http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP722%20Edition8(p).pdf).
However, given the excellent safety record established by model flyers throughout Europe, the EU agreed that model flying conducted within the framework of Associations like the BMFA should be subject to more flexible regulation to allow us to continue largely ‘as we do today’. The mechanism to facilitate this is referred to as an ‘Article 16 Authorisation’ (within the ‘Specific Category’) and we are now in possession of our Authorisation from the CAA, which sets out the regulations which will apply to our members with effect from December 31st, 2020.
Our Authorisation essentially permits us to continue operating as we do today.
The new EU regulations allow for alternative sets of rules to be applied to unmanned aircraft. The ‘Open Category’ rules set out in CAP722 can be used by anyone in the UK, regardless of whether they are members of any club or association and, amongst other things, include a ban on flying above 400ft. The Open Category requirements will not apply to BMFA members flying in accordance with the terms and conditions of our Article 16 Authorisation.
It has been a long process to arrive at this point, starting with negotiations with EASA and the European Commission back in 2015 which laid the foundation for special recognition for model flying within the EU unmanned aircraft regulations. Once the EU regulations were finalised, we then entered into prolonged negotiations with the DfT & CAA to try and arrive at a sensible outcome for members.
I would like to record my thanks to our special advisers (Cliff Whittaker and Roger Hopkinson MBE) and also to Rob Buckley (Secretary of the LMA) for the many hours they have put in to help us achieve this outcome for the UK Associations.
I am bowled over with your generosity in going to the trouble to cast your votes for myself and our committee.
The result is an all time record for WMAC… first time ever that over 50% of the membership voted for a committee. The on line voting system created by Sam really worked well and you all obviously found it very convenient to use.
Its a shame we could not meet in person but if the Covid allows then we would like to hold an outdoor meeting next year with a Bbq and fun fly etc at one of our fields.
Meanwhile lets all keep in touch via website etc and jolly each other along the way until Spring arrives..then whoopie .. back to the fields.
The committee assure you all of our of our best endeavours in making wmac “THE flying club” to be in in Worcestershire.
We currently have vacancies so tell your friends.. spread the word.
Remember we have two new fields to look forward to in 2021.
I must say that 2020 was a real team effort by the committee. We had many challenges along the way and by
Wish you all best for the Christmas and the new year.
We have had an unprecedented number of people vote this year, more than any AGM in the past, which is excellent to see. It is great to see the membership all coming together to vote and show interest in the club’s future, so thank you all for your time taken to vote.
In this email are the results, who your committee are, and who won the honourable mentions and a copy of what was written about each member who was nominated.
The results are as follows:
George Constandinides: 2 (including 1x vote for himself)
Dave Evans: 30 (including 1x vote for himself)
As you know, all other positions had no additional nominations and so the candidates who were already on the committee received 100% of the vote by default.
You’ll also notice another first in this, not only has Dave Evans won the majority of the people who voted, but with 59 members and __ votes he also has a club majority! Well done Dave! This puts us in a really excellent position to be able to help the club as much as we can, knowing we have the backing of the membership behind us.
Next, we have had a slight re-shuffle in the Committee on who is doing what. You may have noticed this whilst voting, but I’ll outline it again for you anyway.
James Ford has decided he wanted to step down from Club Secretary/Training Officer/Events Officer for the 2021 voting, and go back to being a Club Officer. James has been carrying out this role since he was for elected back in 2018 at the AGM, and has been on the committee since the AGM election in 2016 as club officer. I’m sure we’d all thank James for his efforts and are grateful he remains on the committee for 2021 as one of our Club Officers.
I’ll (Sam Booton) now be taking on the role of Club Secretary and Events, and Dave Evans will be taking on the Training Officer role. He will now be the first point of call for people wishing to learn to fly, and will liaise with the instructors on who can take the student on.
The website has been updated already to reflect these changes, which I know a vast majority of you appreciate the website being frequently updated to reflect any changes.
The virtual meeting minutes will be made available tonight too. They will be a little different to normal, with no meeting having actually being held. The names of people who voted (i.e. present for the virtual AGM) will be listed, but not who you all voted for as that remains anonymous to the membership. Points raised in the Discussion Forum and queries made on the voting forms for the reports will also be addressed on there.
Outstanding Members Mentions:
Below you’ll see each member who was nominated, along with the comments that have been copied and pasted from the voting forms.
Provide ONE name of someone who stands out in the club you would like recognised for their hard work and dedication over 2020. This can be someone on or off the committee
Winner:
Sam Booton
Please explain why you’d like to nominate this person
A lot of good work on the web site
Work on the web site
Many hours spent producing quality work that has been essential to manage the club and the covid-19
Great website
Sam Booton has tirelessly transformed the website into a creation fit for the 21st century. Well done!
Great work on the new website and booking system
He has done an excellent job developing the new website and and booking system. He keep all info on the site very current.
Work on WEBSITE
I would like to nominate Sam Booton as in my opinion he has exhibited exceptional dedication by burning much midnight oil to provide us all with a fabulous club website which has allowed all of us the opportunity to fly safely during the Covid pandemic and also allowed the committee to run the club in an efficient manner in very difficult circumstances to the benefit of all of us.
Runners up:
Dave Evans
Please explain why you’d like to nominate this person
David as Chairman has successfully driven forward all aspects of the club in what has been a particularly difficult year.
Put in a huge amount of time and effort during a very difficult year.
Dave has provided first class leadership and put the needs of the Club first when faced with the challenges of Covid, flooding, model Car racers, Noise complaints and noisy models. Well done!
His calm and steady leadership
has brought the club back to a stable and united membership.
Long standing good sense and service to the club. Just to say THANK YOU for such a great job in difficult times
Martin Round
Please explain why you’d like to nominate this person
For providing tuition to a number of new members, as well as assembling a bespoke wireless buddy system for different brand Txs, and making a second set which can be available for other instructors.
Providing training for several new members this year.
He has been of great help to me, given me considerable help over this last year
Steve Ottley
Please explain why you’d like to nominate this person
All of his help with the new Hanbury field, the drone footage of the sites for the website and the offer to always offer more assistance to the committee over the past year. Steve isn’t on the committee, and yet has always offered to help in any way he possibly can. A credit to WMAC.
Thank you
I just want to say a big thank you to all of those who have nominated me and allowed me to win the most voted member for doing something for the club. I am really humbled, and did not expect it at all and it is so nice to read all of your positive thoughts. I’m really grateful, the website was a lot of work and keeping it up to date is always work in itself, so it is nice to see my efforts are appreciated. Thank you again!!
Don’t forget to renew today!! Visit the online store to renew, found at www.wmac.uk/shop
I look forward to what 2021 brings the club, and see you all down the field soon!
Pleased to advise you that flying at our sites can re start on Wednesday December 2nd as per government guidelines.
Here in Worcestershire we are Tier 2 – rule of 6 people meeting outside.
Sam Booton will re open the flying booking facility on the club website. Booking is mandatory at our sites and there is test and trace in operation for all our safety.
A note of caution regarding Rushwick – Technically it is not closed but remember there is no grass and it is strongly recommended not to drive down the track to the car parking area. High risk of getting stuck in soft ground.
Weather permitting let’s get some flying in and get out into the great outdoors.
Hope to see you soon
Dave
A message from the Webmaster:
The restrictions on bookings have now been lifted, as mentioned in the message from Dave. You may now book at both sites from the 2nd December for all day bookings, with 6 people per booking.
Secondly, remember the nominations for the committee for 2021 elections closes FRIDAY 27th (tomorrow). Please nominate yourself now if you wish to be on the election. The voting will open on the 2nd, and close on the 9th.
The results are also expected to be announced on the 9th, but with some things I have going on at home at the moment there may be a small delay. Not much, if there even is a delay at all, but just to make you all aware! The same goes for any email I get, I will be a little slow at responses for the next few weeks.
Please take this time to look around, familiarise yourself with where to go to vote and take a look at what resources are available.
To find it, log into the website and you’ll see the AGM menu appear at the top of the webpage. This is shown in a screenshot further down this email for you to see. alternatively, visit https://www.wmac.uk/agm
Currently, the following is available for you to look at:
Chairman’s Report
Treasurer’s Report
AGM 2019 minutes (all minutes are available permanently in the members area of the website)
Get to know who your current committee are for 2020
Read about the 2020 committee’s achievements over the last 12 months
Post any questions or debates for the committee on the Discussion Forum
A reminder for what is coming:
November 20th – Nominations to put yourself onto the elections for 2021 Committee
Nominations close on the 27th
December 2nd – Voting opens to choose your 2021 Committee
Voting closes December 7th
December 9th – Election Results @ around 9pm
December 10th – Renewals open on the online store
A picture below will explain this better, or visiting the webpage, but the following buttons have been created for your convenience:
Blue – Buttons leading to materials to read before the AGM voting commences
Green – To nominate yourself onto the elections (not yet open)
Red – To vote for your committee (not yet open)
The buttons remain there to show you where to go when the time comes, so we have time in the meantime to iron out any issues with anyone who can’t find where to vote!
Again, as soon as restrictions ease to allow more than 6 to meet, we will hold an EGM to have a proper meeting and a discussion. The 2021 Committee will arrange this.
If anyone has any issues at all regarding the technical aspect of this, contact Sam Booton at webmaster@wmac.uk. Any concerns that are for general committee reading, please direct these to contact@wmac.uk. If it is about the club and relevant for an AGM discussion, please post your comments by clicking here to be taken to the Discussion Forum.
I am writing to you to update you on what happened at our committee meeting last night regarding the AGM for 2020.
Originally, it was due to be held on the 9th December at the Barboune ex-serviceman’s club.
This year, with the pandemic changing all our lives at the moment, the decision was made to have an online only ‘AGM’ and are not going forward with the meeting at Barbourne. This is due to the current restrictions imposed of no more than 6 people meeting post-lockdown.
This will all be run on the website, and during this email I’ll explain how it’ll work, the timeline for what is happening and how you can access what is being called the ‘AGM 2020 Hub’ on the website.
We explored several options, such as Zoom and holding an AGM later in 2021, but it was decided this was not the best way to go forward. Zoom relies on all members having access to the correct technology and knowing how it works, and the free version also has a 40 minute limit on the service for a call. An AGM in the first quarter or first half of 2021 still remains as probably unlikely to go ahead due to likely continuing restrictions into 2021, putting us in the same predicament as we’re already in right now.
Therefore, for 2020, the AGM will take place online. You will be able to nominate yourself to be on the election for Committee 2021, vote for your 2021 Committee and vote for other club matters. You will also be able to read the AGM 2019 minutes, the Treasurer’s report, the Chairman’s report and the results of the votes will also be made available online in the hub.
The AGM 2020 Hub
Here you’ll find everything you need. Nomination forms, reports from the chairman and treasurer, the link to place your vote, results – everything you need for the AGM.
It won’t all be visible straight away, and in the next section below you’ll read more into this.
You’ll find the hub here when it launches (20/11/2020):
The key dates for your diary are as follows:
November 17th – The AGM hub will open online, making available the 2019 minutes and the nominations to put yourselves forward to be on the election for 2021 committee.It’ll appear as a menu all of it’s own once you are logged in at the top of the website (or, on a mobile device if you press the blue menu button, at the bottom of the list).
November 17th – Chairman and Treasurer reports will go live.
November 20th – 27th – Nominations open to put yourself onto the Committee 2021 vote. This must be done by November 27th, otherwise you will not be able to add yourself onto the election. The nominations will open at 9am on November 20th, and close at 6pm on November 27th.
December 2nd – 9th – VOTING OPENS – You may vote for your 2021 Committee, and any other business held in the voting form. Voting will open at 9am on December 2nd, and close at 8pm on the 9th (the day the AGM would have been held originally).
December 9th at around 9pm – Results will be sent out to members via email, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and the website on both the news page and the hub.
December 10th – After the fees are confirmed from the online AGM and the website is updated, renewals will open for your 2021 membership.
Any members who do not have an email address logged with us will have all of the forms and reports posted out around the 13th November. These must be posted back within the same timeframes as above to ensure any nominations or votes are counted. Arrangements for them to renew memberships not via the website will also be arranged.
How will the voting work?
It’ll work exactly the same as the merchandise survey I just sent out to you all. You’ll click a link, select your answers, and submit. You must complete all sections with a red asterisk (*) next to them or you will not able to proceed to the next page.
Note: you will not be able to change your vote once you submit, or place a second vote so please carefully select your answers prior to submission!
As the entire membership will be voting for any nominations for the 2021 committee, for this year we do not need to worry about being proposed or seconded. The entire membership voting will cover this part of the vote by default.
What about a discussion that we usually have at an AGM, will we all meet still?
Discussions obviously won’t work with the meeting being online only. We have thought about this, and if anyone has ANY questions to please ask them in the AGM 2020 Discussion forum thread found in the Club Forum’s section of our website (found in the Member’s Menu when you’ve logged in). We will respond as soon as we can, and the thread will be monitored to ensure all questions are responded to.
The forum is the place to have a recorded discussion regarding the AGM 2020. Any comments in WhatsApp will need to put in the forum instead. It must be posted in the forum only if you wish for them to be addressed for the AGM. We can not easily minute what is going on in WhatsApp is the reason for this.
Please consider clicking ‘subscribe’ on the top right of the forum to be notified by email to new replies and discussion.
We are also going to plan an EGM for a proper meeting during 2021, should the restrictions ease to allow it to happen.
What do we vote for?
The items in the voting form are as follows:
2021 Committee Election Asking if you have read the reports, if you agree with them and for any comments you may have
Club matters (such as fees, AOB etc)
For this section we have implemented a new vote. We are asking you to type in the name of a club member, committee or non-committee, who you feel has gone above and beyond for their club for 2020. You will then need to type your reason for this selection. This will then be acknowledged, amongst everyone else who was also suggested, in an email to the club with the winner being especially noted.
Renewals are changing
Renewing is also changing, both for your convenience and also for the future going forward to make the secretary and webmaster role a little easier.
You will now have to renew online. This will be via the member’s online shop, found in the Member’s Menu, or from the link below:
You can pay by all methods, even though it is online only. If you are paying by:
Credit/Debit Card – there is an additional fee of 1.4% for card payments only to cover costs inflicted upon us by the service we use. Once you have paid, you do not need to do anything else.
Bank Transfer – no additional fees. Process the order online, selecting bank transfer as your payment method and confirm. Once you have confirmed, you will need to email Simon Ford (membership@wmac.uk) that you have processed your order online. Please confirm in your email your reference number from your email invoice from us. When you transfer the money, in the reference box in your online banking transfer page, enter your invoice number and your name.
Cash – no additional fees. Process the order online, selecting cash as your payment method and confirm. Once you have confirmed, you will need to email Simon Ford (membership@wmac.uk) that you have processed your order online. Please confirm in your email your reference number from your email invoice from us.
Cheque – no additional fees. Process the order online, selecting cheque as your payment method and confirm. Once you have confirmed, you will need to email Simon Ford (membership@wmac.uk) that you have processed your order online. Please confirm in your email your reference number from your email invoice from us, and please also write this on the BACK of your cheque.
The online store will tell you this information again, and will provide bank details if you choose bank transfer option. The online store is very secure if you wish to pay by card.
The reason we are doing this is to make use of the new website functions – after you process your order online, and payment is authorised, your account will auto-renew and update your payment date. This saves either myself or Simon going through manually doing it for all our members and deactivating members who have left. You also get to pay online with credit/debit card, and have a receipt from all of your payment methods.
If anyone struggles, please contact myself on webmaster@wmac.uk and I will process it for you online (not card payments though due to GDPR).
The stock of the online store will replenish on the 10th December, allowing you to add your renewal to your cart and purchase online.
If anyone does not have internet access, we can arrange an alternative way to renew.
That’s it…
That’s just about everything! If anyone has any issues with any of this, please email me at webmaster@wmac.uk
I can help with both the website or IT issue you may face, but also as a committee member I can help with other questions you may have regarding this. If it is more appropriate, feel free to also email or speak to the other committee members. They are:
Following the statement put out yesterday by the Government advising the nation that we are going into lockdown on Thursday November 5th the committee wish to make the flying club’s position clear.
We have no choice but to close down our flying facilities with effect from and including Thursday November 5th.
We regret having to take this action but as Golf clubs, Archery, Horse riding etc must close down then as an outdoor activity we fall into that group.
As this is only for the next four weeks I am sure you can find other things to do (building a model maybe).
Just thought it would be good to chat about the new field at Hanbury.. and the “new” field at Rushwick. Lets remind ourselves how fortunate we are as a Model Aircraft club in these abnormal Covid 19 pandemic times.
First Hanbury:
As you all know quite unexpectedly in September the landlord announced a change of flying field for us. We responded immediately and in short order a replacement field was seamlessly created. Now up and running with no difficulties experienced .
It has to be said that all this was only made possible because some keen members pitched in and did their bit.
Thanks to Steve Ottley, Bryan Howes, Jeremy Flatt for giving their time mowing the patch, the pits and the car park. Many thanks to Clive Maulden for making and installing a superb club notice board which he has donated free of charge.. Thanks to Bryan Howes for donating a windsock free of charge, Thanks to Sam Booton for his input with making Covid 19 signs and adapting the new website he recently created for us to suit the changing conditions.
Last but not least our landlord David who created a brand new field entrance, rolled the runway several times filled any large holes, and put Hi Viz material on the fence at end of runway. We are fortunate indeed to have such support from both landlords in these abnormal times, giving us the opportunity to get out in the fresh air and play with our toys!!
And to Rushwick..
Our landlord Matt has demonstrated his loyalty to our 18 years of tenancy of our Flying club by re seeding the field… and supporting our club by refusing to accept a financial offer from some members past and present who feel that their interests are above those of the other 50+ members of Worcester Model Aero Club. Good for him. We salute you Matt.
This field will be developed in the Spring so please watch this space.
So whatever is thrown at us we as a club will prevail…. just as we have already many times in the Club’s 111 years history.
After all the rain this week the car park at Hanbury flying field could well be soaked and slippery – even for 4 wheel drive.
Suggest you initially park on the concrete and go and have have a look at grass to see what its like before committing.
Also the farmer has suggested that rather than risk spinning wheels and getting stuck and messing up the grass we roll down to the lower gate and exit up the track.
If in doubt leave your vehicle on the concrete and walk round the corner with your stuff.
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