The May Bulletin from the Secretary.

With Andrew’s retirement from the post of secretary we now face a new chapter in the future of the Leeds Branch, albeit with Andrew still around as your new Chairman. I have agreed to take on the role of secretary for two years.

We all know we are facing difficult economic times and this is having repercussions everywhere, including attendance at our branch meetings. Latterly, Andrew and I have been discussing the structure of our branch program.

I do not believe that the future of this branch lies as a purely fly tying club. There are some totally dedicated fly tyers in our branch but some members just like to come on a Wednesday evening and chat about fly tying or fishing, or the ways of the world. In my view they are just as valuable to the branch as the dedicated fly tyer who wants to tie ever more challenging patterns.

My second point is an obvious one. We are all getting older and we need to recruit more beginners to the branch meetings. Some may just wish to learn to tie their own flies under the misapprehension that they will save money! Those amongst us who have tied flies for any length of time know that idea to be optimistic to say the least.  Nevertheless, it is my belief that teaching beginners to tie flies has to be a priority from now on and we need members to help with recruitment and assisting beginners.

The Beginners:-

A recruiting drive will be set in motion during the summer to try and attract about a dozen for next October. There is no doubt in my mind that any fly tying course run by this branch represents fantastic value for money so please do your best to promote it.

The course is being planned and prepared at the moment and will be in place, ready to go, at the start of the tying season. It will include basic techniques and the tying of a few river patterns and a few reservoir patterns and will be taught by a group of experienced fly tyers working together.

A limited range of materials will be available, free of charge, to those signed up for the course. Volunteers will be needed to operate the camera. Please let the secretary know if you wish to help with this task.

The Intermediate tyers.

This group includes those who do not need guidance on the basic techniques but who would value assistance with novel techniques and new and unfamiliar patterns.

Jerry Lee has agreed to run a course for this group which will be interspersed with the opportunity, on some weeks, to use our DVD recordings as a resource. Members will be able to tie flies previously demonstrated by guest speakers or to just tie the flies they would like to fish with in the future, hopefully with some mutual assistance from within the group.

The Advance Class/Classic Salmon tyers

There are some who have the ability and wish to learn very difficult/advanced techniques or to tie classic salmon patterns. The session last year with Jim Brown was very successful and I hope Jim will be persuaded to repeat it. It could be for a small group or a much larger group.

In the light of our need for assistance with the first two groups it should probably be put on hold until after Christmas. Watch this space.

New Members.

If you can persuade a friend to come along to our meetings either as a beginner or as an experienced fly tyer it would make a significant difference to the branch. Even if they just come to the guest nights to listen to the experts.

Michael.

Dear all,
I have posted on the new website a May bulletin to keep you up to date with what is happening with the branch, but as is customary, this newsletter is a more detailed account of the AGM and the future program.

The AGM was held at the Old Modernians Cricket Club on 28^th March 2012.  The meeting was opened at 7.30 pm with apologies for absence from Simon Dowling and Peter Chambers.

The secretary (Andrew Bentley) gave his report including the results of the Roy Jones cup (won by Peter Andrews yet again!) together with comments about the various speakers who had attended our monthly guest nights. Malcolm Johnson had demonstrated his techniques for tying large numbers of sea trout and salmon flies, Steve Cooper showed us how to prepare a partridge skin and brought his shop full of materials, John Tyzak tied some tiny flies, Ben Dobson gave a fascinating insight into the fishing at Stocks reservoir and Roger Beck rounded off the guest nights with an examination of the flies he uses to catch fish but which are not necessarily pretty to look at.

The treasurer  (Margaret Bush) presented her summary of the accounts as follows :-

Income from the raffles and the annual dinner made £654. There was an increase in the room hire of 25% which was not offset by an increase in attendance and the branch subs were down on the previous year. Committee expenses of £538 included £312 for a new computer hard drive and miscellaneous expenditure of £269 including £133 for insurance. The treasurer concluded her report with the statement that branch funds remained in a healthy state in spite of a small excess of expenditure over income. J Lee proposed and D Hild seconded that the  treasurers report should be accepted and this was carried nem con.

The Chairman, (Jean Whitehead) delivered her report and wished the branch all the best for the future as this was her last meeting as Chairman. She thanked Andrew for services to the branch over the last 5 years and presented him with a voucher for fishing tackle as a gift from the members.

The meeting then moved to the election of officers.

Andrew Bentley was proposed and seconded as the new Chairman.

Michael Pattinson agreed to accept the post of secretary and Margaret Bush accepted the post of Treasurer. The committee consisting of Jim Brown, Steve Bielby, Peter Kirby-Smith and Jerry Lee were duly elected.

Under AOB the following items were discussed and agreed.

1. Meeting times to remain the same.

2. Subscriptions to be £5 annual sub, £5 guest nights and £2.50 tying night sub.

3. It was agreed for the moment to retain the supper on guest nights.

4. Andrew Bentley gave a summary of the results of the questionnaire

5. Nick Pinches asked that members should receive notification of the election results and the new secretary agreed to do this.

6. Some Discussion followed about new speakers.

The meeting closed at 8.45pm