Notice of AGM, and an update…

Our next York Rally meeting (and our AGM)  is to be held upstairs in the ‘Light Studio’ of the Railway Institute, York, at 10AM on Saturday, 5th December 2015. All are welcome.

Alongside the usual business, we will be proposing that the York Rally (currently an unincorporated association) converts to a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) – in other words a charity. This will both limit our liability as committee members and also open up opportunities for funding. We have taken advice on the legalities, and will be asking the AGM to give formal approval to start the process off.  We aim to be incorporated before the 2016 Rally, although we have been told that the process may take some time.

Since my last posting, progress has on some fronts been rather frustratingly slow:

  • We are still negotiating with the Council about the venue! We are seeking to make use of the central area which in 2015 was fenced off: this is where the arena needs to go, so it’s the centrepiece of the Rally rather than being off to one edge.  After seemingly endless negotiations (since May!) we will be having another meeting shortly.  We absolutely need to know if we have that area before we can plan the site layout for 2016.
  • Apologies too for the lack of email updates. My current internet provider isn’t as accommodating as the one I had last year, and bulk emails just get blocked. I’m working on setting up a more robust system (which can handle our ever growing mailing list – almost into four figures now!) but that’s waiting on technical changes behind the scenes on the website.  I hope email newsletters will be up and running shortly.
  • However, there has been considerable progress on the website.  Most of the 2016 pages are now in place – if in fairly bare bones form – and we’ll be filling out details soon. Take a look round – I’ve used many pictures from the 2015 event.
  • Talking of which – apologies again to photo contest participants! Your images have been invaluable for the website and other purposes: thank you all and I hope all have been credited correctly. But I’m still working on getting the images judged by the committee, and winners awarded. It will be done, soon!
  • Campsite bookings will also be open soon too – we just want to conclude negotiations with the council before we take anyone’s money.
  • Many thanks to all who took part in the 2015 Sportive (and also of course to all who volunteered at it!). I don’t yet have an official total but it has probably raised something like £2000 which we will use to stage youth events at next year’s Rally.
  •  We are happy to confirm that British Cycling have awarded us a prestigious series of races. Race organiser Dave Bishop confirms:“I can confirm that British Cycling have awarded us a National Endurance Series event and a National Short Distance Series Grass Track event at next year’s York Rally on Saturday 18th June. The Grass meeting will also include Omnium events for ladies and schoolpersons. Plus a full programme for the seniors. Cycle Speedway is booked for the Saturday lunch time with come and try it events. Sunday will see a series of Cyclo Cross Races, organised by York Cycle Works as part of the Yorkshire Summer Series CX Competition. Further events could be organised by Go-Ride coaches if we can find volunteers with qualifications.” See also the 2016 Grasstrack and Cyclo-Cross pages.