September '19 Review

A huge turnout for the first Coddiwomple of Autumn on 1st September with 16 members heading to the Yorkshire Wolds. Meeting as usual at the Beverley Golf Club for Breakfast and going on to ride 200 miles. The ride played host to Adam from Illinois, a friend of Pippa

The following week was the Annual Hull RSPCA Bike Show.

Julia and Carolyne flew the RoSPA and E-YARD flag engaging with all manner of show attendees

Whilst the show was ongoing, E-YARD's annual European trip was well underway having left Hull port to Belgium on Friday night, stopping in Nancy, France, before heading to Fussen in Southern Germany. Rides out into the Austrian Tyrol and down to Stelvio in Italy were enjoyed before heading back via a Wasselone in France and the Ardenne in Belgium for night stopovers before sailing back to Hull the following Sunday

Tutoring went on in earnest through the 'Indian' Summer that September presented.

Rosie and Pippa were out regularly on bike training as were Dave and Jo on the car side.

The Indian Summer did break though at the end of the month with newly qualified tutor Guy getting somewhat damp with Andy J!

Other social riding was also enjoyed, Rosie and Carolyne getting out for a Mammoth ride, as well as evening ride-outs to Zoom-Zoom, the Wolds Way Cafe and Guy Martins pub, the Marrowbone & Cleaver. The social side continues to grow stronger, with Dave and Chris Cross leading from the front with social riding being high on the agenda.

Simon B also flew the flag touring Scotland

The final BikeSafe workshop of the 2019 season was booked solid meaning Jules and Rosie were required to take the candidates out for the last time this year

E-YARD committee decided to create Sub Committee "Teams" for various aspects of the club, the first one being a Social and Events Team.

This, and any future Teams, will act autonomously in developing their actions reporting to the main committee any decisions. The idea is to create a free-flow of ideas and development by members of E-YARD in the direction they feel the club needs to go.

The September 2019 Monthly Group meeting was Chaired by Vice Chair - Jo Bowers (see below) at the usual venue, Beverley Golf Club. The meeting room was bursting at the seams - not due to the amount of food ordered - with the biggest turnout since E-YARD began of around 27 members including two newbies, Al Coxworth and Mike Allen.

The subject was 'Learning' which looked at the dangers of learning by Rote - and the advantages of open minded approaches to learning and training.

After many years in the seat, John "Norge" Wright decided to stand down as group Chair announcing this decision on 7 September.

John's statement is reproduced below

"Dear Member,Late in 2017 it became it difficult for me to carry out my duties as chairman of E-YARD.

I offered to step down but the committee thought it better I stayed in post and did what I could when I could. Over this period, about 12 months, E-YARD continued to evolve.I have been spending the last year or so trying to ‘catch up’ with things, and was re-elected as chairman at the AGM. If I am frank, I had reservations about standing but maybe convinced myself I can get to the same place E-YARD is.

I appreciate now that was a mistake. E-YARD is in a significantly different position to that in late 2017.For most of my time as chairman E-YARD has been either struggling or pretty much a training organisation, eventually with a social side. Not now, it is a stable group with strong training credentials, but also a significant social side.I feel now it is in need of a different type of chairman, somebody more experienced in the social aspects of the group.

All the formal stuff is sorted. You could say ‘my work here is done’.

This, along with other things in my personal life has led to my decision to not stand for re-election to chairman at the end of this term.

I am saying this now so members have time to consider standing for election. I know there are many capable people within the group who can carry out the duties of chairman admirably.

I would like to thank all Members of the group for the faith they have shown in me as their chairman and all members of the committee for their support and their hard work. I hope I have not let anybody down.I am only stepping down as chairman,

I am not leaving the group and I will continue as a group motorcycle tutor.

Thank you all.

John Wright (Norge)"

As a result of this decision, an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) will take place before the October Group Meeting, Wednesday 23 October.

Any member wishing to be considered for this role should inform the Secretary of their interest by email.

The vote for the chair role will take place at the EGM and will be open to all paid up members of E-YARD. Anyone unable to make it to the meeting should submit their choice of candidate from those standing by private message to yardenquiries@gmail.com before the meeting.

Closing date for application for the role is midnight Sunday 13 October.

Applicants may submit a resume for other members to consider for publication.

Wow! Yet another busy month for E-YARD!