Let us hope that we can now put behind us the terrible weather the country has experienced this year, and enjoy some warm, welcoming sunshine.
At the end of June, GOC will be represented at the London Pride Day parade. As chair of the club, I will be proud to lead our members through the streets of the capital holding a banner celebrating our 50 years since being formed in 1974. The following day, Sunday 30th June, the club will visit the location in Soho where the club was formed . We will stand outside the exact place where the meeting was held 50 years ago to discuss the formation of Gay Outdoor Club.
At the end of July our members will gather at the University of Northampton for the Annual Outdoor Gathering. This is always a great opportunity to meet up with friends and to make new ones. New members of the club and those attending an AOG for the first time will be especially welcome. This year’s programme has been enhanced by activities from our Specialist Groups and events highlighting our 50th Anniversary. I would like to thank all those that have contributed to making this a success.
At the Annual General Meeting, which takes place during the AOG, trustees and members of the club’s committee are elected. Under the guidance of our returning officer Graeme Brown, an improved voting system has been put in place to encourage all our members to actively take part.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our Group Coordinators who work tirelessly on behalf of the club. Their commitment and dedication in providing a programme of events is a vital part of the club’s success. Some groups now have joint coordinators. For our larger groups, this helps to share the burden of responsibility. I would therefore suggest that other groups consider following this pattern. I am also pleased to see that in addition to regular walks, some of our groups organise a number of social events. I would like to encourage all groups to consider doing this, even if initially it is only on a small scale.
Finally, I hope you all enjoy the summer months. Happy holidays!
Jim Cornwell, GOC Chair