Stephen Probert 
Happy new year to you all, hoping you all had a great festive break and are looking forward to the 2024 rowing season.
The WSR AGM will be taking place again this year via Zoom. Please read all the instructions below carefully so you understand how the AGM will work online.
Notice of WSR AGM 2024
The next WSR AGM will be held on Saturday 27th January 2024 online via Zoom meeting at 13:00hrs.
All members of any WSR affiliated club are invited to attend.
PRE-REGISTER HERE
Anyone wishing to attend MUST pre-register in advance for the meeting by clicking on the link below:
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR AGM 2024
This is NOT a link to join the meeting – you must pre-register to receive your unique / individual meeting link.
AGM 2024 Agenda and Supporting Documents
Proposals
Please note if you wish to submit any proposals for consideration at the 2024 AGM please contact your local Welsh Sea Rowing Regional Representative and ask them to submit on your behalf, see the link below for more information on who this is.
https://www.searowing.wales/contact-us/
The cut-off date for submitting a proposal is Friday 19th January at 3pm. Anything submitted after this time will not be considered at the 2024 AGM.
WSR accounts
Please click on the download button to download the WSR UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
DRAFT Fixtures Calendar 2024
Download the DRAFT Fixtures 2024 Calendar
If you have problems downloading the files please email secretary@searowing.wales who can send the files via email.
Registering for the AGM and Voting rights
When you click the link above this will take you to a registration form. Please note that one of the questions you will be required to fill in is whether you are the designated voting member for your affiliated club. Please ensure you are clear whether you have the voting right, any clubs submitting registrations with more than one voting member will be challenged before being authorised to join the AGM. Also please ensure that your respective WSR affiliated club committee has authorised you to vote on the clubs behalf before registering. If in doubt, please select Not Sure to the question on registration ‘Are you a member with voting rights?’ and contact secretary@searowing.wales who will be happy to help.
Please remember each club may only delegate one member to vote on their behalf, as stated in point 9.2 of the WSR Constitution.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. (Please allow up to 24 hours to receive this).
**VERY IMPORTANT** – You will receive a unique link to join the meeting, you CANNOT forward that link to others, it is specific to you and your registration.
If others wish to join they must pre-register using the link above first.
REGISTRATIONS will close at 11am on Saturday 27th January. Please ensure you register before this point otherwise you will not be able to access the meeting.
Meeting Format
The meeting will be held using the ZOOM meetings application.
IMPORTANT – You must download the Zoom client to your PC, Tablet or Phone to participate in the meeting.
You cannot use the web based client, if you try to join the meeting via the web based client you will be prompted to download and install the app first. We strongly recommend that when you receive your personalised meeting link (after pre-registering), click on the link and install the app if prompted. For those who may be using restricted work devices you may not be able to download and install the app. Unfortunately we can only recommend you use an alternative device or ask your work IT to install it for you.
App Download Links:
ZOOM Cloud Meetings – Apps on Google Play (For all Android devices)
ZOOM Cloud Meetings on the App Store (apple.com) (For all IOS devices, iPhone and iPad)
Download for Windows – Zoom
If anyone has any problems installing the app or would like to test their Zoom install please do not hesitate to contact secretary@searowing.wales who will be happy to help.
Meeting Etiquette
Please take note of the following whilst attending the meeting:
- Mute your microphone
To help keep background noise to a minimum, make sure you mute your microphone when you are not speaking.
Please note that the WSR Committee reserve the right to mute all microphones except those who are required to address the meeting at that time. - Raise Hand function
You can use the “Raise Hand” function in Zoom to let the host know that you have input for the meeting. You can easily use the “raise hand” feature in Zoom during a video conference call to let the meeting organizer and other participants know you have input you’d like acknowledged without interrupting the conversation. - Be mindful of background noise
When your microphone is not muted, avoid activities that could create additional noise, such as shuffling papers. - Position your camera properly
If you choose to use a web camera, be sure it is in a stable position and focused at eye level, if possible. Doing so helps create a more direct sense of engagement with other participants. - Limit distractions
You can make it easier to focus on the meeting by turning off notifications, closing or minimizing running apps, and muting your smartphone. - Avoid multi-tasking
You’ll retain the discussion better if you refrain from replying to emails or text messages during the meeting and wait to work on that PowerPoint presentation until after the meeting ends.
Voting Polls & Breakout Room
During the meeting there will be many proposals put forward that will require the allocated members to vote. Zoom can facilitate this through the use of polls. When the Chairman puts a proposal forward for voting this will come up on the meeting screen. Only attendees who have a voting right (stated when pre-registering) will be able to vote. During the voting period (30 – 60 seconds) any attendees who do not have a voting right will automatically be removed from the main meeting to a breakout ‘chillout’ room. Once the voting period is complete the non-voting attendees will automatically be placed back into the main meeting where they will be able to see the result of the vote. Non-voting attendees will not miss any dialogue of the main meeting.
IMPORTANT – During a voting period all non-voting attendees will be placed in the chillout room. Please do NOT click the option ‘Leave Room’ and ‘Leave Meeting’. You will be automatically returned to the main meeting once the voting period (30 – 60 seconds) has finished.
Event Workshop
The event workshop has already taken place as it was held in November 2023.
As mentioned in WSR documents “Conditions of Affiliation to WSR” and “WSR Safety Guidelines”, those clubs intending to hold a race event in 2024 must have sent a representative to the online Event workshop. This will be confirmed during the AGM.
2024 Race fixtures & Race Risk Assessments
A draft version of the proposed race fixtures is available as part of the WSR AGM 2024 Download Pack mentioned above.
The draft fixtures list is still subject to change and will not be finalised until ratified at the AGM. Please note, clubs can request to move their fixture to any available weekend. We will even consider a league race to be held on a Saturday if it means the event can go ahead as opposed to not.
Please note we will also need a copy of your Race Day Risk Assessment for each event prior to the AGM, so that they can be reviewed by our Health & Safety Officer and Race Officer. If you have not already sent these or want to send an updated version please email to secretary@searowing.wales as soon as possible. The secretary must receive the risk assessment beforehand otherwise your event may not be ratified at the AGM.
Election of Officers
All committee positions are up for re-election as per constitutional process, however, if agreed by those present, all current committee members are happy to remain in position, apart from the posts highlighted below. Please note that any persons wishing to be considered will need to have a proposer and a seconder from another affiliated member of WSR and this information can be sent via e-mail to chair@searowing.wales or secretary@searowing.wales
Current 2023 Committee
Chair: Helen Heaton
Vice Chair: Steve Batham
Secretary and Membership Secretary: Stephen Probert
Treasurer: Matthew Norman
Health & Safety Officer: John Colley
Assistant to Committee/Insurance: Richard Aherne
Publicity Officer: Heledd Williams
Welfare Officer and Child Protection Co-ordinator: Leo O’Connor
Training Officer: Jane O’Connor
Race Officer: Louise Russell
Webmaster: VACANT
Midlands Representative: Rhian Evans
South Representative: Scott Ferrier
North Representative: Sarah Hughes
You can keep up to date with current nominations via this link:
WSR Committee Positions 2024
All previous minutes can be found published on the WSR website at: WSR Meeting Minutes
If anyone has any queries please do not hesitate to contact the secretary on secretary@searowing.wales or 07970 063074.
Meeting Recording and GDPR
Please note the AGM online meeting will be recorded. The recording will stop at the formal close of the meeting. The recording file will be kept securely on the secretary’s PC and in the Zoom cloud. The file will be kept for 3 months and will only be used to aid the secretary to ensure that minutes of the AGM are detailed correctly. Once the 3 month retention period is over, the recording file will be deleted and securely disposed of.
For more information on how Welsh Sea Rowing collects and processes your personal data please see our Privacy Policy.
Privacy Policy | Welsh Sea Rowing
