Hi everyone, this is the regular Thursday posting to let you know what is coming up in the near future and give you highlights of the last week.
Last week:
A quiet week for flying with ice sometimes being a problem. Nonetheless several hardy members have been refreshing themselves (me included). A winter soaring flight is a great way of keeping current (or recent in EASA speak).
Web site improvements
Jared Forte our junior representative has been helping to improve the web site by taking some more photographs for us to add to the web site. Have a look at About the club/buildings as an example. If you have any other photos that would inform potential visitors/members of the wonders of our club then please email them to me for inclusion on the site
New Year’s Eve
As has become customary for the last four years, Rob and Jean arranged a Chinese meal at the club on New Years Eve. The anxiety levels went up a little as names had already gone on the list for those coming when they found out that Joe who runs the Chinese restaurant in Church Stretton was retiring so he would not be able to provide the food as usual. After some investigation and assistance from Martin, the Ying Wah were contacted (just passed the Bucks Head) they were very helpful and delighted to provide the food. Twenty one members enjoyed starters of curry samosas, fabulous and rather large spare ribs as well as similar sized prawn toasts and prawn crackers. After a short recess, a mountain Beef this, Chicken that and pork the other was put out along with fried rice, noodles and chips. Did Fay ever find her Kung Po chicken? Dessert choices consisted of Jeans home made raspberry or lemon roulade or chocolate brownie. Rob Hanks broke out the mints for a game of After Eights, Clive was first to step up followed by d’Arcey, ask nicely and someone may share the photographs, very entertaining indeed.
Roger and Liz dropped in later followed by Guy and Dawn who had finished work at 19:00 then driven down!!
Prosecco and party poppers saw in the new year in typical Mynd style, great people having a great time. Thanks to all who came along.
Weekend outlook:
Your team this weekend is : Mark Sanders, Simon Adlard, Mike Witton, Charles Carter, Ed Jones, Laurent Couval and Liz Adlard.
Forthcoming events:
Winter lectures
These are now kicking off in ernest with the first being Pete Harvey on the 14th of Jan. Below is a short biography. Can I please urge you to come along to this, it will be at 18:00 until supper and is open to all, not just our club. Pete knows everything there is to know about gliding and is a good guide to its future.
We now have 4 booked during February and March. We have Pete Harvey the BGA chair, Hugh Browning the driving force on the safety initiatives, Mike Groves of Skylaunch and the National Trust. We have also had an offer of another interesting talk from a member. Please do make an effort to attend, it’s a great night and the trick is to fly in the day, have the talk then a really good supper.
14 Jan Pete Harvey
Below is the extract from the BGA web site. We are extremely privileged to have Peter as our guest speaker. This is an interesting time for our sport and as well as entertaining us on how to do it he is a fount of knowledge on all things that affect our sport.
PETE HARVEY – CHAIRMAN
Pete flies from Bicester and York and is a British Team member. After success in international hang-gliding, he won the European Open Class Gliding Championship in 2005, 2007 and 2009 – an unprecedented achievement. He has a Nimbus 4 glider and a small share in a Robin 400.
11 Feb National trust
4 March Hugh Browning
11 March Mike Groves
Juniors
We will be hosting the Juniors Winter expedition on the 1st weekend of Feb.
Llanbedr Expedition
Mike Greenwood has booked the week of 11th March in Llanbedr taking the K21 again. Please contact the office to book a slot.
20 March get checked week
Steve Male is running this popular week, it’s a great opportunity to come along and make sure you are ready for the soaring season which I guarantee is going to be brilliant this year. Don’t forget as Andy Holmes told me “April is when all the records are set” so you will be ready for the great weather.
AGM
8 April 17:00. Please put this into your diary. We intend a slightly different format this year with the AGM, followed by presentations on the options for going forward. We have had a couple of good years but we face stormy times ahead. We must strengthen our position now while we can and your input and feedback are essential.
Aim higher course
18 -19 March.
Please put this date in your diary, and book in with the office now. We are so privileged to have Kevin Atkinson to do this course for us. He will cover:
How the sky works
How to work the sky
Going further and faster
Self-teaching skill drills and self-tasking
And will be the best preparation you could think of before the cross country season starts in earnest. This is proving very attractive to visitors from far and wide so I do encourage Mynd members to book up while you can.
June the 3rd 4th and 5th. Aim Higher practical
I am absolutely delighted to tell you that Kevin has agreed to provide a “practical” aim higher course on the above dates. This means we get the best of both worlds, the theory then followed by the practical after we have all had a chance to practice. We are really privileged to be able to offer this combination this year so get your bookings in to the office as soon as you can.
Thinking of summer
Mac is organising the “longest day, open day” recruitment drive on the 24th of June. In addition we want to increase the activity and the interest for members. Years ago we used to run a “dawn to dusk” day and we are going to combine the two. It is fantastic fun, we run in shifts and do “shedloads” of launches (or words to that effect). Please drop me an email at the address below if you would like to help out for a shift, everyone is welcome and I guarantee you will have a great day.