Welcome and thank you to Anne Coombes, already GOC Cornwall Group Co-ordinator, for now stepping up to serve as our new club Chair as well.
Anne was appointed by the Committee at our meeting on Sunday 5 October, following the GOC strategy workshop at Warwick University that she and other GOC volunteers attended with the Committee on Saturday 4. She had responded to the appeal and opportunity that I shared in July as acting Chair, following our AGM at Lancaster University, to help to fill this crucial vacancy and others on the Committee. Thank you to other members who responded as well, offering to join as Marketing Officer and in other roles.
In the end Anne was the only candidate for Chair, however the committee was satisfied that she was a strong candidate bringing valuable skills and experience to the role, and she was appointed with overwhelming support. We also welcomed the opportunity to appoint Anne as the first woman and the first transgender person to play the role of GOC Chair, to support the committee and the club in delivering our strategy over the coming years to be:
"a diverse and inclusive club that is friendly and welcoming, vibrant and dynamic – where everyone in the LGBTQI+ community can be themselves and feel at home while making friends and enjoying outdoors and social activities together".
I have now completed my short stint as acting Chair and returned to an interim Vice-Chair role, to support Anne as she gets started in her new role as Chair. To get more involved yourself, please see Getting Involved with Running the Gay Outdoor Club!
Anne writes:
"Hello, I’m Anne Coombes, and I had the honour of being appointed Chair of the Gay Outdoor Club at this weekend’s board meeting. I’m a six-foot, blonde-haired trans woman — fairly distinctive, which might help you place me if we’ve crossed paths at either of the last two Annual Outdoor Gatherings.
I’m keen to continue Jim Cornwell’s excellent tradition of keeping members informed and will be sending out regular updates in the spirit of his “Comments from the Chair.” I look forward to supporting the club’s vibrant community and sharing updates as we go through the year."
