AGM Minutes
Wednesday 15th October 2025 – 8.00pm.
The Ship – Old Redbridge
Prior to the AGM Tim Churchil gave a demonstration using the new defibrillator recently purchased by the Club.
This informative sixty-minute session also included the emergency procedures, including CPR, to be used should a cardiac event happen at a trial.
Tim was thanked for providing the presentation.
Attendees
Steve Greenen, John Denham, Andrew Bryant, Jack Bryant, Andy Withers, Tim Churchill, Hazel Parker, Geoff Parker, Tony Knott, Bruce Watts, Sue Wiseman, Mo Latham, Bill Latham, Maria James, Lloyd James, Gary Plews, John Baud, Jim Gray, Mike Wiseman.
Apologies
Sally Garland, Shane Babey, Jon Hunter, Paul Garland, Dave Penfold, Trevor Gatrell, George Hawat, Leon Baude.
Confirmed offers of support, including COC and event management assistance, from those not present was shared with the meeting
Minutes of the 2025 AGM
The minutes from the 2024 are uploaded and available to view on the Waltham Chase Club Website.
It was agreed that they were an accurate account of the meeting.
One matter arising has been carried forward to the current meeting.
No other actions from the minutes were raised.
Chairman’s Report for 2025 and a 2026 overview.
Waltham Chase has had another successful sporting year, holding 20 Trials, 7 Practice Days, 2 Alicia Robinson Coaching Days, two and a half Camping Weekends and the Awards Presentation.
All made possible by having a supportive team of volunteers who make the events happen, but we must be mindful that with an ageing management team it essential that some new, younger members come forward to keep the Club running for the future.
It was noted that whilst the AGM had a good attendance only three of those present were not a committee member.
It would be a sad day if Waltham Chase were no longer able to run events; we hope that volunteers come forward during the next twelve months to make it all happen way into the future.
MW referred to Southampton Vikings and Gosport, two local Clubs no longer in existence.
Waltham Chase may have held too many events some would say, however if we have the members who want to ride, land available and volunteers to run the events this is not seen as an issue.
Sport80 makes provides the admin capability to manage multiple events, but we do need more assistance with marking out etc.
We have an ambitious dates calendar for 2026 which we will endeavour to fulfil and have an upcoming COC meeting to allocate event managers.
However, we may need to cancel some planned events in 2026 if we do not have enough support following the upcoming COC meeting
Finance Report.
Total Income £44,788.77
Total Expenditure £45.193.51
Operational Variance - £404.74
The reported loss was because of the detailed extraordinary purchases being made.
Extraordinary Purchases in 2025
Defibrillator £650.00
First Aid Backpack £134.00
Laptop £350.00
FINANCE HIGHLIGHTS
Income
Events Revenue £ 36,601.00
Memberships £3,832.70
Expenditure
ACU Insurance and Permits. £14,624.00
Land £ 3,620.00
Officials & Observers £ 5,960.00
Awards Presentation £ 2168.77
Meetings £ 1881.00
Trophies/Awards £ 1714.00
Charity Donations
Waltham Chase MCC supported the listed charities in 2025:
Prostate Cancer UK £ 810.00
ACU Ben Fund £ 800.00
Muscular Dystrophy £ 600.00
John Wright (Parkinsons) £ 250.00
Club Assets
Club Assets are:
Loadlugger
Defibrillator
Camping Trailer
Generator
Laptop.
All written down to zero value.
Club Affiliation
It was unanimously agreed that Waltham Chase should remain affiliated to the ACU. MW updated the meeting with some of the ACU current and upcoming benefits.
Club Membership
Waltham Chase has a current membership of 261 Adults, 31 Youth members and 4 Social Members.
The Sport80 membership database enables email communications to be sent quickly to valid email address.
JB reported that he received multiple emails from the Club. This is due to three family members ACU Accounts registered with the same email address.
Election of Officers for 2026.
As of the 15th October no resignations or nominations have been received.
All existing officers were re-elected to their current posts.
The list of available First Aiders was amended to reflect attendees at events.
The position of Safeguarding Officer/Lead was added, with Tim Churchill taking on the role.
Any member, regardless of age, is welcome to liaise with Tim in confidence regarding any issues that may arise at events or via the Membership.
Being mindful of having an aging team MJ and MW will meet to develop a Club Succession Planning strategy. with the aim of encouraging younger members to become more involved with the running of the Club.
2025 Officials
§ Chairman/Secretary: Mike Wiseman
§ Treasurer: Mike Wiseman
§ Awards & Events: Mo Latham, Sue Wiseman, Maria James
§ Minutes Secretary: Mo Latham
§ Membership Secretary: Sue Wiseman
§ Social Events: Sally Garland
§ Safeguarding at events: All COC’s.
§ Safeguarding Lead: Tim Churchill
§ Defibrillator Management: Tim Churchill
§ Environmental Officer: Gary Plews and Trevor Gatrell
§ Youth Representative: Leon Baude
§ Facebook Admin: Mo Latham, Andy Withers
§ Club Coach: Ian Bird
§ Clerks Of Course: Steve Greenen, Jim Gray, Andrew Bryant, Jack Bryant, Ian Bird, Matthew Rowden, Shane Babey, Dave Penfold, Tim Churchill, Mike Wiseman.
Note: Additional COC’s will be added after the COC Seminar being held on 1st November
§ PR and Photography: Andy Withers
§ Signing On Desk: Sue Wiseman, Mo Latham, Maria James, Sally Garland
§ First Aiders: Tim Churchill, Ian Bird, Andrew Bryant, Paul Garland, Jack Bryant, John Baude, Trevor Gattrel & Dave Henvest
§ Committee Members (If not listed above): Tony Knott, George Hawat, Bill Latham.
Clerks of Course for 2026
The Club events calendar is dependent on having COC’s available to run those events.
It was agreed that if we are unable to provide allocate a COC for an event that event would be cancelled.
Youth Representative Report
Leon Baude was not in attendance, but provided the Youth Report, which was presented by John Baude.
It was suggested that the Club should consider running a Youth Trial that included some special tests.
To be considered by the Committee, subject to ACU Youth rider regulations.
It was also proposed that a “Youth Only” trial could be organised to include riders from all the Southern Centre Clubs.
MW to raise at the ACU meeting being held on 6th November with the local Clubs.
It was suggested that the Club could support a Youth Trial with funding.
Club History and Website Update
Two albums of photographs and press cuttings from the early 1970’s have been shared with the Club by Jerry Hawker. AW will review and use some of the material to update the Club history file which is uploaded to the Club Website.
Membership Fees, Entry Fees, and Officials Expenses for 2026.
No increases will be applied for 2026, with the caveat that any significant increases applied by a third party may need to be passed on to members. (E.G.ACU Insurance or Land Charges)
Club Membership:
Adult £15.00
Youth £ 5.00
Social £ 5.00
Club Trial Entry
Adult £20.00
Youth £15.00
Open To Centre Trial Entry
Adult £25.00
Youth £15.00
(Higher fee reflects the cost of land and awards)
Observers, Officials and Back Marker Expenses
Club Trial £20.00
Open Trial £20.00 plus a £6.00 lunch contribution.
Event Entry Process
Sport 80 will be the preferred entry process for 2026.
Entry is available online up to 8.00 pm the day before a Trial.
Advance entries are taken by telephone with payment collected on the day if required and One Event Licences issued.
At Trial, on the day entries are not accepted.
The advance entry policy is implemented as the Club produces an event programme for all Trials and advance rider information is essential for its compilation.
A confirmed advance rider entry list is also used to help plan trials to suit the riders who have entered. (MW comment. We have in the past spent time marking out an A route, with no Experts turning up on the day.)
Club Membership and ACU licence renewals for 2026
All Club Memberships and ACU licences will run to January 31st.
This will be the future renewal cycle, February 1st to 31st January, and will alleviate some of the problems experienced over the Christmas and New Year Holidays with renewals delaying event entries.
Your current licence will enable you to enter events up to 31st January 2026.
The 2026 Membership window for new members opens on November 1st.
Events to be held in 2026
All are provisional subject to COC’s being allocated.
Club Championship – 8 Rounds
Summer Series – 6 Rounds
Practice Days (Number of events TBC)
The George Greenland – Centre Championship
The Geoff Chandler – Centre Championship
The Keith Marshall – Classic Championship
The Chase Trophy Trial – To be discussed further before a decision regarding this Trial is made.
Centre Team Trial – Subject to Centre confirmation.
Youth Only Trial
Two Camping Weekends, each to include two Trials and up to five days camping.
Biennial Events
AW proposed that some of our Open to Centre Trials should become “Biennial Events” due to the increasing number of “named” Trials. All agreed.
The Jack White
Further consideration will be given to the hosting of the legacy “Jack White” Trial. It was agreed that if held it would be run as a “hybrid” trial. To run a standalone Pre67 event would not be viable. Salisbury and Southampton Clubs to be contacted to see if they have ant event trophies.
Event “Rules” for 2026
All 2026 Waltham Chase Trials, except for the Keith Marshall Classic Trial, will be run using ACU “Stop Allowed” rules.
Score Recording
Scoring will be by way of waterproof score sheets for 2026. It was noted that the new sheets do not have a “Total Column.” This is to make additional space available on the sheets for the section scores.
2026 Provisional Dates Calendar
The 2026 Dates Calendar was circulated for review and consideration by the COC’s and Officials.
Some dates may not be ideal, but we must juggle our dates with all the other Southern Centre Clubs.
The final Waltham Chase dates will be published in early November after final “sign off” at the upcoming ACU meeting on the 6th November.
Venues – Available to use in 2026
All available venues were discussed and evaluated, with all being used in 2026.
It was agreed that there would be too much work involved to use Treefields in 2026, however a site visit with the owner is proposed to understand the future opportunities.
Rider Classifications for 2026
There will be no changes to the Adult classes used by Waltham Chase in 2026.
Expert
Clubman
Veteran
Sportsman
Novice
Twin-Shock C & D
Pre-67 C & D
It was agreed that 50/50 classes will not be introduced for 2026, except in the two Centre Championship rounds.
The introduction of additional classes dilutes class sizes and Championship opportunities.
Youth Classes
The proposed Youth Classes for 2026 are:
Youth Expert (A)
Youth Intermediate (B)
Youth Novice (C)
Youth Beginner (D)
Youth Academy (E)
The classes currently used are shown in brackets.
The classifications will be confirmed prior to the first 2026 Trial.
We will endeavour to get class conformity within the Centre, with Waltham Chase willing to change to suit a majority.
The classes will be configured on Waltham Chase Sport80 trials to allow riders to enter a class suitable for them and not dictated by Licence type.
It was proposed that Youth Riders should be encouraged to “ride up a class” to gain confidence.
Youth Academy (E Class)
This class is for new riders to learn how to compete in a trial. A rider enters the section through the start gate and leaves through the end gate, choosing any route they like between these points. There is no penalty given for missing flags, but all “footing” penalties apply.
All Academy E Class riders will be presented with an award by way of encouragement, but it has been noted by Observers that there are differing levels of “attempt”, with some riders just going in the start gate and then riding a straight line to the end, with others attempting to negotiate some, or all of the Yellow Route obstacles.
In the absence of a solution, we will continue to run in this manner for 2026 and will endeavour to make all Observers aware.
We should do all we can to encourage our younger members.
Rider Numbers
It was agreed that the current system of dedicated rider number would remain in place.
Pending a Sport80 update where a rider Number field will be added to the entry screen riders are reminded to add their rider number in the Sport80 Special Instructions box.
All Waltham Chase members are asked to provide a printed number card for their bike showing their allocated rider number and indicating the class rode.
If you require a card printing please contact sallygarland@sky.com who will make a card and deliver to an upcoming Trial.
It was agreed that we will not progress now with Helmet Number, Rear Numbers, or Rider Bibs.
Plan B
For some of our larger “Open” trials where there are more visitors than Club Members we may use sequential numbers and issue all riders with a Number Card on the day.
Route Marking
Waltham Chase will continue to use wired flags until a suitable alternative is found.
Help is appreciated with flag sorting at the end of a Trial.
Volunteers to wash and sort flags is also appreciated.
MW Comment: Not the best job to wake up to on a Monday morning after a muddy Trial!
Observers
Waltham Chase are fortunate that all sections for 2025 have been Observed.
However, all riders are asked to nominate any friends or family who may be able to help with observing.
The Club is happy to buddy up new volunteers with an experienced Observer to gain experience.
Observers WhatsApp Proposal
A proposal has been made to use WhatsApp as a method of communication at Trials to enable Observers to contact the COC or “Sign-On” in the event of an emergency.
Observers would be asked permission to use there contact number before the start of a Trial.
MJ is to set up a trial.
This facility would be especially beneficial at venues such as Ham Lane and Limekiln Lane.
Walkie Talkies
A proposal to issue Observers with Walkie Talkies was impractical and will not be progressed.
Back Markers
Back Markers at Trials are a great asset and working with the COC and Sign-On desk to keep Observers up to date with no-shows and retirements etc.
They also provide lunch break cover for the Observers if required.
Back Markers are paid the same expenses as an Observer.
Offers to BM are appreciated.
Sections – Cost and Observer Implications
Waltham Chase have been running Trials using 3 laps of 12 sections.
Whilst working well, this has cost the Club over £800.00 in additional Observer expense payments in the last 12 months by having the two additional Observers per Trial.
Moving forward, smaller trials will run with 4 laps of 10 sections, with the larger Trials having 12 or 15 sections depending on the entry size.
Club Defibrillator
Tim Churchill has volunteered to “manage” the Club Defibrillator. Tim has the necessary expertise in this area.
First Aid Provision at Events
Offers from suitably qualified members to volunteer as First Aiders at events would be appreciated.
The Southern Centre intends to run a First Aid Training Course early in 2026
Please contact MW to register your interest.
It was noted that the course planned for 2025 had only one volunteer and was cancelled.
Clerk of Course Seminar
Six Waltham Chase members have signed up for the COC Seminar being held at Otterbourne on November 1st and have offered their support with upcoming events.
Club Coach & Coaching Activity
Waltham Chase have one registered and licenced Club Coach, Ian Bird. Ian is available at most Practice Days to offer support to new members.
Club Website
The Waltham Chase website, www.walthamchasetrials.co.uk is the go-to location for all Club Information.
The website has the basic functionality required for the Club, including the Dates Calendar, Results, Club History, and a Gallery.
Adverts and Forums are not supported and not promoted.
Club Constitution
An update of the Club Constitution is still outstanding from 2024.
MW is to update.
Facebook & Social Media
A new Members only Facebook Group is being developed by ML &AW. This will be a source for Club specific and event information.
The Group will go live early in 2026.
2026 Awards Presentation
The Waltham Chase Awards Presentation is being held in partnership with the ACU Southern Centre Trials Presentation at Otterbourne Village Hall on Saturday 7th February 2026.
Full details will be published during December, however we can confirm that “Uncle Jack,” the human Jukebox, will be our entertainers for the evening.
Holders of annual trophies are reminded to return them at any upcoming Waltham Chase Trial no later than the 31st December.
The awards will be sourced again from the local supplier Trophyman. The service provided by Trophyman, including their ability to manage “recycles,” perpetual award engraving to process last minute issues outweighs any cost savings from on-line suppliers
All award winners will be notified by email during the first week of January at the latest, after our last 2025 Trial is held.
An Award Presenter is yet to be confirmed.
Any suggestions or offers appreciated.
Social events for 2026
We will run Family orientated social activities at the second Camping weekend.
SW suggested that a 50th Anniversary Party should be held to celebrate 50 years of sport, and especially to commemorate the Chase Trophy Trial ran in1976. MJ, with support from SW and ML to look at the possibilities of organising a celebration.
(The Club may be a little over 50 years old, but any excuse for a party)
Catering at 2026 Trials
Debs McLean will provide catering at all Waltham Chase Trials in 2026, subject to a minimum rider entry of approximately 30.
Club Merchandise
A “flyer” showing all available clothing etc is being produced by our supplier, The Print Room, based in Chandlers Ford.
The Print Room will also add the Waltham Chase logo to members own garments.
Club PR and Event Photography
Andy Withers was thanked for his continued support with PR and event photography.
All event photographs are available to purchase. Order via the link: awsportsphoto@gmail.com
Load Lugger
The Load Lugger is our mobile storage container and “Office.”
The “lugger” is essential at all Trials, but especially during the Winter months. Currently JD and BL are our only transporting volunteers.
Offers from other members to be on standby would be appreciated
Club Committee and COC Meeting Schedule
The full committee of eighteen members meet regularly on an ad hoc basis. (If we had a routine schedule there may be nothing new to discuss at a scheduled meeting)
The next meeting date is to be confirmed.
COC’s, and anyone involved with a specific event, will also meet on an ad hoc basis to plan for that event.
The next COC meeting is scheduled for 12th November, with the objective to allocate COC’s to our proposed 2026 events.
It was agreed that if COC’ are not available events will not be held, or we would consider reducing the number of rounds in a Championship. As an alternative a Trial could be replaced with a Practice Day.
It was recorded that a fully attended Committee Meeting could cost up to £200.00, by way of venue hire and refreshments.
With members giving up their free time, and in some cases travelling a considerable distance, it was unanimously agreed that the expenditure was justified.
Members advance questions. (If not covered in the agenda)
A request was received from a local Club to use a Waltham Chase Venue. MW to action off agenda.
AOB from those present
SG and MJ updated the meeting on the non-sporting activities for the upcoming Charity Trial being held on the 8th November at Hut Hill.
SG will produce a “Flyer” for circulation to Club Members.
Event reparation arrangements were agreed for the Practice Trial being held at Oakridge Copse on Saturday 25th October.
(MW, TC and DH to meet at Oakridge at 10.00am on 23rd October)
ML thanked MW for his continued support of the Club.
Date of 2026 AGM
It was confirmed that the 2026 AGM will be held on 15th October 2026.
The meeting closed at 10.05 pm |