Thursday 13th November:

On Thursday Emma forwards an invoice from Major Crouch, to no one in particular, for extra work incurred because of the fireworks, 14 horses @ £10 each, a total of £140. An insignificant sum, but a significant point. The major had commented in our meetings that we ought to be paying for his inconvenience, and he's now backed that up with this invoice.

Both David Wood and I don't believe it should be ignored, and David thinks the idea of Lions making a donation to a local charity of their choice is a good one. I make the point that even this should not be done without some assurances that we an injunction will not be sought next year, or to any fireworks that RAS or OFRC might organise; waiting to hear his response.

John Reid calls me and complains that we have allocated a Wednesday in March 2015, and he has agreed with Dick Maris for him to come as a speaker. We have a long discussion, and I tell him how I feel, how the committees don't work particularly well, and how the club relies on a few who actually "do stuff".

I tell him that I want a club where the Officers do have some executive clout, and don't just sit and listen to the same reports on a Monday and then on a Wednesday. I explain the blue/yellow imbalance of formal/informal meetings, and how we need a little more of the social able evenings. 

I explain why we need three meetings reserved to David Ford's work, and give time to members to absorb, discuss, and debate potential developments about membership and the way the club is organised. I think I may have made a little inroad, not sure.