Hi All
The Carn Brea Mining Society's committee meetings always have NAMHO on the agenda. We recently discussed the possible merger of NAMHO with the caving people and our views are as follows:
We believe that it is very much in Carn Brea's interest to belong to an umbrella organisation & to have our view represented nationally to corporate bodies and Government in all its forms.
NAMHO can give advice on OUR subjects at national level.
The national conferences and field meets are excellent events. Unlikely to occur if we merged.. It should be recorded that NAMHO provide financial back-up for conferences
We have never felt akin to caving people and would not wish to join an expanded NCA/BCRA or what ever organisation the outcome of their negotiations becomes. We think that NCA/BCRA should have consolidated a long time ago but NAMHO should stay independant but associated! Continuing access to the BCRA insurance is viatal
We recognise the problem of recruiting officers at society level. let alone national level, as most people do not join mining societies to become committee members. We feel that NAMHO officers have to live within, say 100 miles of Birmingham. As members we find attending meetings difficult because of cost and time We are 170 miles west of Bristol and we are looking at a minimum of a 2 day, 600 mile round trip. Attending 4 meeting per year would cost more than the Society's total annual subscriptions.
Has Council thought about resurrecting meetings combined with a field trip of some kind?
The use of e-technology will improve communications but at this moment, not everyone is up to speed on this. In the long-term maybe the only meetings requiring physical attendance should be the AGM and conference/field trips with the remaining business being conducted by email or discussion groups such as through "Mining History"
Tony Brooks.
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