The highlight of this year’s Annual General Meeting was the announcement that Sean Hardon’s business Lauren May would be sponsoring the Ards CC race team for the next three years. There will be a new jersey for the race team in 2025, with a subcommittee set up to look at the longer term plans for club clothing design. A separate subcommittee will also review the current club competitions – our trophies and medal scheme – to see how they can be improved. If you’d like to be involved with either subcommittee, please let us know.
The meeting opened with the Chairman’s report, with Dean highlighting the many events we’d run this year, including the Tour of Ards, the trail quests, the Town Centre Races, the Tour of Strangford and the “Her Outdoors” initiative. He thanked everyone who had helped to make the events a success, including Kieran McKenna (Race Director for the Tour of Ards), Richard WIlliams (chief marshal at the Tour of Ards and Town Centre Races), John Green (for securing grants from the Council), and Lisa Jane and Deidre Murray for “Her Outdoors”.
Deidre and John received a special thank you from Dean for their support. Picture – Belgian Project.
Dean also thanked the club sponsors, including Boyd Rice Solicitors (club sponsors), BP Energy Storage (Tour of Ards), Ards and North Down Council (Town Centre Races) and Ards Bowling Club (for free use of their premises for the Tour of Stangford).
He also thanked –
- the committee, including secretary Stephen Beattie and treasurer Heather Hamilton for all their work in the back ground to keep things running smoothly.
- All the marshals and helpers
- Darren Colville and the time keeping team
- Gavin for the kit orders
- The road captains for our regular club runs
- Ian Carson for race team training.
- Bernard McCloskey for design and promotional material.
- Richard Hanna for auditing our accounts,
Dean highlighted some of the individual highlights of the year, including Barry’s 960mile epic in Germany, and Stuart Millar for winning the Inter Club League, with Ian Carson and Ben Healey finishing third equal.
Stuart Millar took second in the Ulster Hill climb championships, fifth in the Irish Hill climb championships and competed for Ireland in the e-sports world championships.
In his Secretary’s report, Stephen updated the meeting on the membership numbers, with total membership unchanged at 101. Stephen also talked the meeting through some changes to the club constitution, and the addition of club Safe Guarding and Equality Policy documents (thanks to John for drafting these). The changes were adopted unanimously.
In her treasurer’s report, Heather presented a healthy picture of the club’s finances, thanks to the support of our sponsors. We were able to donate £1500 to Air Ambulance NI from the Tour of Strangford, and provide some support to the Belgian Project. Heather recommended that club membership fees be maintained at £20 for Adult and £5 for Youth and Supporter and this was agreed by the meeting.
Election of Officers
- President – James McFarlane (re-elected)
- Chair – Dean Bradley (2 years left to run)
- Secretary – Stephen Beattie (2 years left to run)
- Treasurer – Heather Hamilton (1 year left to run)
- Child Protection Officer – Dany Blondeel (re-elected)
- Committee – William Orr, Bryan Craig, Colin Wilson, Ben Healey and John Green agreed to continue. There are a couple of vacancies – let us know if you’re interested.
- Time Keepers – Darren Colville, Deidre Murray, Paul Robinson, Stephen Beattie and Evie Martin agreed to continue. (Gavin McBride stepped down – thanks to him for all his work).
- Auditor – Richard Hanna (re-elected)
Sean received a special thank you for 7 years as marshalling coordinator. He’s stepping back from that role and will be getting more involved with the racing team. Picture – Belgian Project.
There was lots of discussion on the new race team and club clothing – watch this space as the plans start to firm up over the next few months.
The chairman reminded everyone that we still have two big events this year –
- The Christmas Fry run on Sunday 8th December, meeting in Conway Square from 9.15am, and arriving at the TT in Comber no later than 11.30am. Check your email for details.
- The Christmas 10 mile time trial on Christmas morning at 10am, meeting at the Flood Gates on the Portaferry Road.